Self-styled prophet allegedly rapes Epworth woman

A SELF-STYLED prophet has appeared in court on allegations of raping a congregant whom he allegedly paid to lure new followers to his church through fake prophecies.

Admire Manga, also known as Stalin, was initially remanded in custody after his court appearance on Monday.

He was granted bail of US$100 yesterday, and his trial is scheduled to begin on December 1.

The victim is a 41-year-old woman from Epworth. It is reported that Manga had been paying her to bring people to his shrine in Retreat, Waterfalls.

These individuals would then pretend to receive prophecies from him, helping him attract crowds and grow his following.

According to prosecutor Mr Rufaro Chonzi, the alleged incident occurred in October 2025.

On the night in question, the victim had led a group of people from Epworth to the shrine as instructed.

Around 10pm, Manga reportedly called the woman to his parked vehicle nearby, where he handed her US$10 as partial payment and promised to pay the remaining amount later.

Once inside the vehicle, Manga allegedly moved to the back seat, where the victim was seated.

He is accused of forcibly holding her down, silencing her screams by covering her mouth, and raping her without using protection.

After the assault, Manga reportedly threatened the woman, warning her that he could make her disappear if she told anyone about the incident.

He then ordered her to leave his vehicle and return to the shrine, allegedly keeping her torn clothing. The victim later reported the incident to ZRP Waterfalls, leading to Manga’s arrest.

Herald online