12th September, 2019
A 63-year-old Zimbabwean woman has jumped into a well in an attempt to kill herself after she was allegedly raped by a pastor belonging to convicted rapist Martin Gumbura’s RMG Independent End Time Message Church.
According to the Newsday, Wallas Pangenyama from Mt Pleasant allegedly forced himself onto an elderly congregant (name withheld) who had recently been converted into the church after inviting her and other women to his house in Mt Pleasant.
The matter came to light before magistrate Morgan Nemadire.
Narrating the incident before the court, the woman claimed that she had attempted to commit suicide since she was going through post-traumatic stress.
The woman also told the court that her efforts to seek justice were thwarted when she first reported the case to the police in Chivhu who allegedly did nothing.
According to the state, sometime in March last year, Pangenyama together with other members of the church visited Chivhu rural area preaching and the complainant was converted to the church being baptised together with others.
After the baptism, Pangenyama allegedly invited the complainant to his plot through someone only identified as Hezvo, who then refused.
It was alleged that in April last year, the complainant together with other women were invited to the accused homestead and where driven to Pangenyma’s house in Mt Pleasant, Harare for Easter Friday and when they arrived they were offered a room to sleep.
It was reported that in the morning, the complainant woke up and went to the restroom where Pangenyama forced his way into the room before he allegedly raped her, the state alleged that she went back to Chivhu and told her husband who then advised her to report the matter to the police.
The suspect was only apprehended after the complainant came to Harare again and reported the matter to the police.