The Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) has announced the commencement of investigations into allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse of women by Prophetic and Healing Deliverance (PHD) Ministries founder Walter Magaya.
ZGC is a constitutional and independent body mandated to investigate possible violations of rights relating to gender and to receive and consider complaints from the public.
In a statement, the Commission said the probe had in 2019 been halted after Magaya filed an urgent High Court application questioning the validity of the investigations.
“The Zimbabwe Gender Commission wishes to advise members of the Public that the Zimbabwe Gender Commission in its Commission meeting number 38 on the 4th of August 2022 resolved to recommence investigation of the allegations of Sexual Exploitation and abuse of Women levelled against Prophet Walter Magaya of Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries.
“The investigation which was gazetted on the 23rd of August 2019 (General Notice No.1444/2019) was halted by the Legal Challenge launched by the key respondent Mr Walter Magaya (Prophet Magaya). We are happy that the courts have given legal judgements (SC592/19, HC 7347/19 and HH688/19) which have paved way for the continuance of our processes,” said ZGC
The Commission called on members of the public who might have complaints against the charismatic Prophet to present their grievances before ZGC.
“As such, we are calling on all citizens who might have complaints of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) involving the conduct of Walter Magaya to present particulars of their complaints to the Zimbabwe Gender Commission. The invitation is also being extended to all the complainants and witnesses to such acts which consist SEA of Women within the denomination,” said the Commission
