The bodyguard and security aide to prominent preacher Prophet Walter Magaya has been arrested on allegations of attempting to interfere with an ongoing rape investigation involving the clergyman. The arrest comes at a time when the case has already drawn intense public attention, especially after police recently warned that a coordinated group of Magaya’s supporters was allegedly mobilising a large fund to derail the legal process.
The bodyguard, 35-year-old soldier Tapiwa Felix Chikondo, was taken into custody following police inquiries into the complaint filed against the PHD Ministries leader. He appeared before the courts on 2 December 2025, where he was remanded in custody. A ruling on his bail application is expected on 5 December 2025.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPA), Chikondo’s arrest is directly linked to an alleged attempt to obstruct the course of justice. Prosecutors say that in November 2025, during the ongoing investigation, the accused contacted the mother of the complainant. The communication, authorities allege, involved attempts to discourage her cooperation with law enforcement and to facilitate a channel of communication between her and the cleric at the centre of the case.
Central to the allegations is a US$200 (approximately R3,600) payment that Chikondo reportedly sent to the woman via EcoCash. The prosecuting authority stated that the funds were allegedly sent under the pretext of covering transport costs to travel to Harare “to settle the matter.” Investigators say the payment was not only unsolicited but was considered a deliberate attempt to influence a witness.
This development arrives just weeks after a striking police announcement on 15 November 2025, in which authorities claimed that a network of Magaya’s supporters was raising a substantial US$200,000 (about R3.6 million) pool intended for bribing investigators, prosecutors, and even judicial officers handling the case. The warning, delivered through an unusually blunt press statement, highlighted concerns of large-scale interference designed to weaken or invalidate the case.
Prophet Magaya’s Bodyguard Arrested Over Secret US$200 EcoCash Payout to Witness
Police say that on 28 November 2025, Chikondo visited the complainant’s home to discuss the matter further. During that visit, he was cautioned that interfering with an active police investigation constitutes a criminal offence. Despite that warning, investigators say they later recovered an EcoCash agent’s register on 1 December that allegedly connected Chikondo to the US$200 transaction. For authorities, the discovery of a specific transaction appears to offer a concrete example of the broader interference they warned about in mid-November.
In a statement accompanying the latest NPA bulletin, prosecutors emphasised that the justice system cannot function if individuals attempt to manipulate or pressure witnesses. They warned that the State would respond firmly to any actions that undermine due process. The bulletin stated:
“No individual, regardless of social standing or affiliation, is permitted to obstruct police investigations. Attempts to influence witnesses or derail due process are serious offences, and the State will act decisively to protect the administration of justice.”
The NPA’s reaffirmation of the State’s position mirrors the tough rhetoric previously issued by police when they first raised concerns about a US$200,000 fund allegedly circulating among Magaya’s supporters.
Chikondo’s latest legal trouble adds to a string of courtroom appearances for both him and the prophet. Just weeks earlier, on 6 November 2025, the bodyguard appeared in court on separate allegations of fraud. In that case, he is accused of selling a smuggled Toyota Mark X to musician Ti Gonzi for US$5,000 (around R90,000). He was released on US$600 bail (about R10,800) in that matter, which remains pending.
Prophet Magaya, meanwhile, continues to face multiple legal battles. Besides the rape allegations at the centre of the latest arrest, he and his wife, Tendai Magaya, are also facing fraud charges. When Magaya appeared in court on 18 November 2025 for the fraud matter, his lawyer Admire Rubaya addressed the earlier police statements head-on, dismissing the public warnings as “megaphone investigations.” Rubaya argued that police should follow proper investigative channels instead of issuing statements on social media, asserting that there was “no need for megaphone investigations.”
The fraud case involving Magaya and his wife was postponed to 9 December 2025.
With the arrest of his bodyguard over an alleged US$200 payment, the situation surrounding Magaya has entered a new phase—one in which a specific and traceable allegation of interference has now been added to the wider claims of a coordinated effort to influence the justice process. The courts will determine whether Chikondo’s actions constitute a deliberate obstruction of justice, but for now, the case underscores the increasing legal pressure surrounding the prophet and those within his close circle.
Source- iHarare
