Controversy has erupted in the high-profile court case involving Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries founder Prophet Walter Magaya as he formally dragged fellow cleric Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa into his ongoing legal battle. Magaya’s legal team has accused the chief prosecutor in his rape trial of bias, alleging she is acting at the behest of Makandiwa and his United Family International Church (UFIC).
Magaya’s lawyers submitted a formal petition to the Prosecutor General on 17 February 2026, requesting the removal of Ms Tendayi Shonhayi, a senior National Prosecuting Authority official, from the case. In the letter, they claim Shonhayi is a member of UFIC and is conducting “a mission” to persecute Magaya for the benefit of Makandiwa’s ministry — a dramatic allegation that suggests the legal process has been compromised by religious rivalry rather than impartial justice.
The lawyers argue that the prosecutor’s actions — including attempts to shift the trial settings and handling of key legal documents — indicate a conflict of interest and prejudice against their client. They say this undermines Magaya’s constitutional right to a fair trial and are seeking to refer certain aspects of the proceedings to Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Court.
Magaya’s trial, which relates to multiple rape accusations that span nearly a decade and involve several complainants, has already seen legal twists including debate over whether testimony should be conducted in public or in a victim-friendly setting.
So far, the Prosecutor General’s office has not publicly responded to the allegations against Shonhayi or the claim that Makandiwa is influencing the prosecution.
