PROPHETIC Healing and Deliverance Ministries founder and leader Prophet Walter Magaya is off the hook after prosecutors gave in to his demands not to testify during an inquest over the death of 11 people at his crusade at Mbizo Stadium in Kwekwe, a decision slammed by some of the deceased’srelatives.
The last witness testified yesterday before the coroner, Taurai Manwere.
Eleven people, including a two-year-old child, lost their lives on November 20, 2014 after the church crusade and Prophet Magaya was one of those who were summoned to give evidence on April 6.
However, his lawyer Everson Chatambudza wrote to prosecutors saying the church leader had nothing to say because he was not in the stadium when people died.
In subsequent hearings, prosecutors were mum on Prophet Magaya’s court appearance, leaving people wondering whether he would testify or had prevailed on prosecutors.
The answer was delivered yesterday by lead prosecutor Fiona Mukwena who told the court that the inquest had ended.
She did not explain how they had arrived at the decision for the church leader not to testify.
Mukwena handed the court 11 post-mortem results of the deceased as part of state’s evidence to assist the coroner to come up with findings and recommendations.
“This marks the end of the inquest. I’ll then go and read these submissions made by witnesses and will make my findings and recommendations,” said Manwere.
However, it is the unavailability of Prophet Magaya which has raised eyebrows.
Witnesses who spoke to The Chronicle on condition of anonymity as they attend PHD Ministries, slammed the decision to give in to the church leader’s demands and the failure to offer an explanation on the matter.
One of them said: “This whole process looks like it’s just a waste of the tax payer’s money and time for witnesses since the key player Prophet Magaya didn’t give evidence. It’s not fair on us who lost our loved ones.”
Earlier, the last witness, Shepard Zarura of Mbizo 5 in Kwekwe said on the fateful night, he arrived at the stadium at around 7PM.
He said when he entered, only one gate was open.
“After the main service, I walked towards the main gate. On reaching the gate, some people were already on the ground lying, some of them injured. They had been pushed and fell due to pressure from church members who wanted to leave the stadium. I fell and stepped on top of some of them. I was rescued by some people and discovered that I had sustained some injuries,” said Zarura.
He said he noticed PHD security members observing while a police officer was trying to control the people.
Zarura said he was carried to Kwekwe District Hospital in a council fire tender.-Zimpapers
