Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

HARARE – Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries founder Walter Magaya and his wife Tendai on Monday appeared in court facing 13 counts of fraud linked to a multi-million-dollar church housing project that allegedly never materialised.

Also charged are the couple’s companies — Planet Africa (Pvt) Ltd and Yadah Connect (Pvt) Ltd — both represented in court by Tatenda Chinguwa, who is the operations manager for the two entities.

The state alleges that between 2016 and 2018, Magaya and his co-accused defrauded PHD congregants and other members of the public by falsely claiming to have acquired land for residential stands and investment projects across the country, including Chishawasha, Norton, Westgate, Fern Valley (Mutare), Bulawayo, Kwekwe, Arcturus, Ruwa, Manyame and Nyatsime.

Magaya, the court heard, announced the projects during a church service broadcast live on Yadah TV, claiming that “God had instructed him” to help believers build homes.

He allegedly told congregants that those who purchased stands through Planet Africa would have their houses built by Yadah Connect, and that members could also invest in mining, farming and bee-keeping ventures promising “50 percent interest after six months.”

The court heard that brochures bearing the Bible verse Genesis 13:9 — “A vast land is out there and available to you” — were distributed during the campaign, depicting houses and plots said to have been acquired for the faithful.

Prosecutors say the representations were false and that no such land had been secured. Thirteen complainants listed in the police papers are said to have paid various sums of money, running into tens of thousands of US dollars, but never received any stands or refunds.

Appearing before Harare magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa, Magaya and his wife were represented by lawyers Admire Rubaya and Everson Chatambudza, who immediately challenged their continued detention.

Rubaya argued that the couple had been held for more than 48 hours following their arrest on November 1, rendering their appearance unlawful.

“Magaya was arrested at 5AM while praying at his prayer mountain by over 30 armed officers,” Rubaya told the court. “He was not allowed to contact his lawyers until after 11:30AM. His wife was also arrested without justification and over-detained. This is unconstitutional.”

The lawyer said the couple had been held incommunicado, with police initially denying them access to their legal representatives.

“We visited CID Headquarters where we were told they were being held, but we were informed they were not there,” Rubaya said. “They were not given access to their lawyers until after 11:30AM on November 1, when a police officer who is also a lawyer, Julia Chidumwa, intervened.”

Rubaya said the state had admitted to the over-detention, which he argued rendered the entire prosecution invalid.

“Even the state concedes they were over-detained. The constitution is clear — the law applies equally to all, including the state,” he argued. “You cannot put something on nothing; it will collapse. Once the state admits over-detention, this court must release the accused unconditionally.”

He said the only exception to the 48-hour rule would be if police had obtained a warrant for further detention, which they did not.

Prosecutor Clemence Chimbari admitted the over-detention but argued that the defence should seek redress through the Constitutional Court rather than the Magistrates’ Court.

Magistrate Gofa reserved judgement on the application for the couple’s release on account of over-detention. They were remanded in custody to Tuesday.

Meanwhile, shortly after the hearing the court was cleared for an in-camera hearing into unrelated rape charges that Magaya faces. – ZimLive

HARARE – Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries founder Walter Magaya and his wife Tendai on Monday appeared in court facing 13 counts of fraud linked to a multi-million-dollar church housing project that allegedly never materialised.

Also charged are the couple’s companies — Planet Africa (Pvt) Ltd and Yadah Connect (Pvt) Ltd — both represented in court by Tatenda Chinguwa, who is the operations manager for the two entities.

The state alleges that between 2016 and 2018, Magaya and his co-accused defrauded PHD congregants and other members of the public by falsely claiming to have acquired land for residential stands and investment projects across the country, including Chishawasha, Norton, Westgate, Fern Valley (Mutare), Bulawayo, Kwekwe, Arcturus, Ruwa, Manyame and Nyatsime.

Magaya, the court heard, announced the projects during a church service broadcast live on Yadah TV, claiming that “God had instructed him” to help believers build homes.

He allegedly told congregants that those who purchased stands through Planet Africa would have their houses built by Yadah Connect, and that members could also invest in mining, farming and bee-keeping ventures promising “50 percent interest after six months.”

The court heard that brochures bearing the Bible verse Genesis 13:9 — “A vast land is out there and available to you” — were distributed during the campaign, depicting houses and plots said to have been acquired for the faithful.

Prosecutors say the representations were false and that no such land had been secured. Thirteen complainants listed in the police papers are said to have paid various sums of money, running into tens of thousands of US dollars, but never received any stands or refunds.

Appearing before Harare magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa, Magaya and his wife were represented by lawyers Admire Rubaya and Everson Chatambudza, who immediately challenged their continued detention.

Rubaya argued that the couple had been held for more than 48 hours following their arrest on November 1, rendering their appearance unlawful.

“Magaya was arrested at 5AM while praying at his prayer mountain by over 30 armed officers,” Rubaya told the court. “He was not allowed to contact his lawyers until after 11:30AM. His wife was also arrested without justification and over-detained. This is unconstitutional.”

The lawyer said the couple had been held incommunicado, with police initially denying them access to their legal representatives.

“We visited CID Headquarters where we were told they were being held, but we were informed they were not there,” Rubaya said. “They were not given access to their lawyers until after 11:30AM on November 1, when a police officer who is also a lawyer, Julia Chidumwa, intervened.”

Rubaya said the state had admitted to the over-detention, which he argued rendered the entire prosecution invalid.

“Even the state concedes they were over-detained. The constitution is clear — the law applies equally to all, including the state,” he argued. “You cannot put something on nothing; it will collapse. Once the state admits over-detention, this court must release the accused unconditionally.”

He said the only exception to the 48-hour rule would be if police had obtained a warrant for further detention, which they did not.

Prosecutor Clemence Chimbari admitted the over-detention but argued that the defence should seek redress through the Constitutional Court rather than the Magistrates’ Court.

Magistrate Gofa reserved judgement on the application for the couple’s release on account of over-detention. They were remanded in custody to Tuesday.

Meanwhile, shortly after the hearing the court was cleared for an in-camera hearing into unrelated rape charges that Magaya faces. – ZimLive

LAS VEGAS — Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather has gone viral after delivering an emotional speech while accepting the World Champion for Israel Award from the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) during their Annual Leadership Summit on Saturday night.

The undefeated former world champion was honoured for his “big heart” and “unwavering support for the people of Israel during the war in Gaza.”

“I’m not with you guys 10%, 50%. I will always be the voice for the people in Israel,” Mayweather declared in his speech. “I will always stand behind the country of Israel. When you guys don’t have a voice, Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather will always be here for you.”

The 48-year-old star, who retired with a flawless 50-0 record, has visited Israel several times since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, which left approximately 1,200 people dead and over 250 kidnapped. During these trips, he has supported United Hatzalah, assisted wounded IDF soldiers, and donated to Israeli children orphaned by the conflict.

Despite anticipating backlash, Mayweather remained defiant about his position.

“I’m going to stand strong, and no matter how much backlash I get, I live my life for me,” he said. “Any time it’s war, I’m on your side — count me in.”

The Republican Jewish Coalition commended Mayweather’s efforts, noting that his “time, energy and resources have helped Israelis in their greatest time of need.” The group also praised him for speaking out against antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment in the United States, calling him “a champion for Israel and the Jewish people.”

During his visits to Israel, Mayweather has been seen meeting Israeli soldiers on Tel Aviv’s Hilton Beach, taking photos, and sharing words of encouragement. “These are young fighters,” he told Israel Hayom. “I was a young fighter. I know how it is.”

Mayweather added that his connection to Israel is long-standing:

“I don’t remember anymore how many times I’ve been to Israel, but it’s probably a lot. It’s a beautiful place with wonderful people. I’ve always had Israeli friends, and I’ll continue coming here until my dying day.”

The Las Vegas summit also featured notable conservative figures including House Speaker Mike Johnson, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Senator Lindsey Graham, Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders, and Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon.

A long-time supporter of former President Donald Trump, Mayweather once called him “a great president” and “a great businessman.”

However, his pro-Israel stance sparked controversy online. Critics accused the boxing icon of aligning himself with controversial politics. One social media user wrote, “I can only imagine the kind of debt Floyd Mayweather got to be in to be doing this,” while another commented, “Netanyahu don’t give a damn about your Black a$$ Floyd Mayweather. So sick and tired of some of these conforming Black celebrities like him.”

Despite the criticism, Mayweather remains steadfast — in and out of the ring — declaring his loyalty to causes he believes in.

Source: AllHipHop.com

HARARE – Controversial cleric Walter Magaya, the founder of Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries, and his wife Tendai, found themselves in the dock on Monday, facing a battery of 13 fraud charges linked to a failed multi-million-dollar church housing project. The case has reignited public scrutiny of the self-proclaimed prophet, whose past is riddled […]

The post Magaya and his wife charged with 13 counts of fraud… plus a strong case of rape against the prophet first appeared on My Zimbabwe News.

HARARE – A Southern African Development Community (SADC) observer mission has concluded that Tanzania’s 2025 general election failed to meet regional democratic standards, citing intimidation of opposition figures, arrests, an internet shutdown and violence that left voters unable to “express their democratic will.”

The unusually blunt preliminary report by the SADC Electoral Observation Mission (SEOM), released on November 3, 2025, sharply contrasts with the congratulatory messages issued by some African leaders — among them President Emmerson Mnangagwa — who hailed President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s re-election while ignoring allegations of a deadly crackdown.

In its 18-page preliminary assessment, the mission led by former Malawian Speaker of Parliament Richard Msowoya said the election “fell short of the requirements of the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections.”

The SEOM, which deployed 80 observers to 27 of Tanzania’s 31 regions, reported harassment of its own teams, including an incident in Tanga where security forces “aggressively interrogated” observers, confiscated passports and forced them to delete photographs.

While voting was largely calm, the mission recorded incidents of violence, gunfire by police and very low turnout. Observers were unable to complete data collection due to an internet blackout that disrupted communication and reporting systems.

 

 

The mission highlighted the arrest and treason trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu and the disqualification of several opposition candidates, including ACT-Wazalendo’s Luhaga Mpina, as evidence of a “tense and intimidating political atmosphere.”

“These actions undermine Tanzania’s multi-party system by removing legitimate competition in the electoral process,” the report said. “This creates an uneven political playing field, discouraging public participation and voter turnout.”

The SEOM also criticised the dominance of the ruling party in state media, noting that opposition coverage was minimal and that many private outlets “self-censored” for fear of losing their licences.

Social media restrictions further constrained free expression, the observers said, warning that citizens’ ability to access and share information was “heavily curtailed.”

SADC noted that Tanzania’s constitution bars courts from hearing presidential election petitions — a provision the mission said was incompatible with the principle of electoral justice. It also criticised the presidential appointment of electoral commissioners, saying it cast doubt on the independence of the electoral bodies.

The mission recommended a comprehensive constitutional review, reforms to permit independent candidates, and gender equity measures to improve women’s participation.

Despite the damning report, African leaders have largely avoided condemning the conduct of the election. Mnangagwa’s message to Suluhu on November 2 praised her “visionary leadership” and pledged continued cooperation “at regional and multilateral fora,” without reference to the violence or irregularities.

Mnangagwa notably did not attend Suluhu’s inauguration on Monday, instead choosing to fly to Qatar for a United Nations conference.

The African Union Commission expressed “deep regret” over the loss of life but stopped short of criticising the process, while the European Union called the election “deeply concerning,” citing killings, abductions and an internet shutdown.

The unusually candid tone of the SEOM report has recent precedence in Zimbabwe’s 2023 elections, where the regional bloc’s observers said Mnangagwa’s re-election was not credible — a rare stance for the SADC mission, which has often been accused of whitewashing flawed polls.

For perhaps only the second time, however, the mission was unambiguous about what it saw in Tanzania: “In most areas, voters could not express their democratic will.”

It remains unclear what action, if any, SADC leaders will take after receiving the report.

The electoral commission in Tanzania said Suluhu won with 98 percent of the vote, claiming an 87 percent turnout — figures that have been met with ridicule by many Tanzanians.

Tanzania SEOM 2025 – Preliminary Statement – November 2025