Church leader in Zimbabwe sentenced to 40 years in jail for rape
A policeman in Harare. Police have expressed concern over an upsurge in the number of rape cases in Zimbabwe. PHOTO | JEKESAI NJIKIZANA | FILE
What you need to know:
- The prosecutors had requested that Gumbura should be jailed for 25 years for each of the four counts of rape
- Initially, Gumbura faced nine counts of raping six women but was cleared of four counts involving three women because of lack of evidence
HARARE
A Zimbabwean church leader has been handed a 40 year jail sentence for raping three women and being in possession of pornographic material.
Robert Martin Gumbura, 57, of the RMG Independent End Time Message Church was convicted on four counts of rape by Harare magistrate Jonathan Murombedzi.
He has been sentenced to 50 years behind bars but 10 years were suspended on condition of good behaviour.
A four month sentence for possession of pornographic material would run concurrently with the 40 year term.
The prosecutors had requested that Gumbura should be jailed for 25 years for each count but the magistrate said he had no jurisdiction to impose a higher sentence.
Mr Murombedzi described Gumbura as a wolf in sheep’s skin who abused vulnerable church members.
“The court must always strive to find a punishment which will fit both the crime and the offender,” he said.
“The core-business of the church is to worship God, not to sleep with girls and women and threatening them that misfortune would befall them.
“Pastors and deacons in this church must have been aware of the blasphemous teachings in their church and also the abuse of women but they chose to ignore what was happening,” said Murombedzi.
WISHED FOR 100 CHILDREN
Gumbura has 11 wives and 30 children and had told the court during an earlier appearance that his wish was to have 100 children.
His wives had attended all the court sessions and were in the gallery when sentenced was passed.
Initially, Gumbura faced nine counts of raping six women but was cleared of four counts involving three women because of lack of evidence.
Another Harare magistrate recently jailed a serial rapist who abused at least 13 women for 290 years.
Thomas Chirembwe, 30, was convicted of 21 counts of rape and robbery.
Police have expressed concern over an upsurge in the number of rape cases throughout the country.
According to police statistics, at least 400 children were raped and 392 adults sexually abused in 2013.
In a majority of the cases, women were raped while walking alone in secluded areas, while children were raped mostly by relatives and neighbours.
