Magaya Wins: Prophet Makandiwa’s ‘Daughter’ Removed From His Trial Over Plot To ‘Destroy Him’

Prophet Makandiwa’s ‘Daughter’ Removed From Magaya Trial After He Complains Of Plot To Destroy Him

The rape trial of PHD Ministries leader Walter Magaya has taken a sensational twist after the Prosecutor General allegedly bowed to pressure from the self-styled prophet and removed a top prosecutor from the case, following explosive allegations that she is the “daughter” of rival prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa and part of a clandestine plot to destroy him.

In a dramatic development that has sent shockwaves through the country’s religious and legal circles, Harare Provincial Chief Director Tendai Shonhayi was noticeably absent from the prosecution bench during Wednesday’s court proceedings. Her removal comes after Magaya’s legal team fired off a blistering letter to the Prosecutor General, accusing her of being a member of Makandiwa’s United Family International Church (UFIC) and pursuing a personal vendetta.

‘She Is Doing The Bidding For Her Own Papa’

The letter, dated February 17, 2026, and penned by Magaya’s lawyers Admire Rubaya and Everson Chatambudza, does not hold back in its allegations against the senior prosecutor. It paints a picture of a legal officer driven by religious loyalty rather than the pursuit of justice.

The legal team stated:

“Our client instructs, and has it on good authority, that Ms Tendayi Shonhayi is a member of a rival church known as United Family International Church (UFIC), which is considered by our client to be a rival to PHD Ministries, as well as to Magaya himself.”

The letter goes further, directly accusing Shonhayi of acting on instructions from her spiritual leader. The lawyers argue that her professional judgment has been compromised by her personal religious affiliations.

“It is our client’s considered view that Ms Tendayi Shonhayi is on a mission of her own to try and persecute him on the basis that she wants to destroy our client’s church for the benefit of UFIC, which is a competing rival church. She is doing the bidding for her own ‘PAPA’ Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa in circumstances where she should be detached from the case.”

The sensational claim that Shonhayi is effectively Makandiwa’s operative inside the prosecution has raised eyebrows and thrown the legal proceedings into disarray. The letter argues that this conflict of interest renders a fair trial impossible if she remains involved.

‘A Mission To Destroy Our Client’s Church’

Magaya’s legal team didn’t stop at simply stating the alleged church connection. They provided what they claim is a pattern of biased and suspicious conduct by Shonhayi, suggesting she has manipulated procedures to achieve her goal of destroying the PHD Ministries leader.

In detailed allegations reported by 263Chat, the lawyers pointed to several instances of what they call partiality. They claim she was instrumental in pushing the matter to the Victim Friendly Unit even before a formal ruling, a move they argue was designed to prejudice their client. They also highlighted her alleged role in bail proceedings at the High Court, where they claim she sought the recusal of a judge on what they termed “flimsy reasons.”

The most damning accusation, however, concerns the handling of the charge sheet. According to the letter, Shonhayi allegedly attempted to serve Magaya with legal papers that did not include the names of the alleged victims. The lawyers stated:

“She only had to serve Magaya’s defence counsel with new charge sheets, which now had names after they had taken her to task. She further had to write the witness names on the typed witness statements using a blue pen. For your convenience, we have attached the defective documents that our client was once served with.”

The defence team further accused her of overstepping her role and effectively running the prosecution from behind the scenes. They claimed she was constantly whispering instructions to the lead counsel, Clemence Chimbari, demonstrating that she was “the one in charge” despite not being the lead prosecutor.

Her removal on Wednesday, with Catherine Munyeriwa taking over the case, signals that the Prosecutor General’s office found merit in Magaya’s concerns.

Meanwhile, the trial remains bogged down in legal wrangling. Magaya’s legal team is currently pushing to have the matter referred to the Constitutional Court, challenging a magistrate’s ruling that allows some witnesses to testify via video link from a private room.

Magaya, who faces four counts of rape involving adult congregants from Harare and Chegutu with allegations dating from 2016 to 2023, insists he has the right to face his accusers in open court.

He is also scheduled to appear in court on March 2, 2026, on separate rape allegations involving two other women.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has yet to issue an official comment on the explosive allegations regarding Shonhayi’s removal.