The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe has acceded to clergyman Walter Magaya’s request to remove top prosecutor Tendayi Shonhayi from his rape trial, following claims that she is biased on religious grounds.
In an urgent letter addressed to the Prosecutor General on Tuesday, Magaya alleged that Shonhayi could not handle his case impartially because she is a member of the United Family International Church (UFIC), which is led by Emmanuel Makandiwa, a church he described as a direct rival to his own ministry.
Magaya further accused Shonhayi of pursuing a personal agenda aimed at “persecuting” him and undermining his church for the benefit of UFIC.
Although the NPA did not issue a formal public response, Shonhayi was noticeably absent from the State’s prosecution team when the matter returned to court on Wednesday.
NPA spokesperson Angeline Munyeriwa has now joined the prosecution line-up alongside Clemence Chimbare, Kudakwashe Chigwedere, and Foelane Muronda, confirming a shift in personnel for the ongoing case.
