A Zimbabwean prophet, Tapiwa Freddy, appeared in court today for allegedly raping a disabled widow and was granted bail by a Harare magistrate.
According to the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, Freddy, who is the founding member of the Goodness and Mercy Ministries, allegedly raped the woman three months after the death of her husband.
The court heard that Freddy promised to look after her and her children. Her husband died from an undisclosed ailment.
The state-controlled broadcaster reports that court documents indicate that Freddy overpowered the disabled woman when he went to her house for the first time to pray for her.
The prosecution claims that while at the house, he proposed love to her but she turned him down, resulting in Freddy raping her. He allegedly told her after the sexual encounter that “from now onwards you are my wife.”
Freddy allegedly visited the 33-year-old woman several times and raped her until she informed her uncle.
The woman told the court that she did not report the matter to the police as she was fearing for her life.
He is expected to appear in court on December 6th.