Prophet Magaya Bodyguard Arrested Again For Selling Ti Gonzi Smuggled Car

Magaya Bodyguard Arrested In Ti Gonzi Smuggled Car Scandal

The bodyguard of prominent preacher Walter Magaya has finally been arrested and taken to court, accused of selling a smuggled car to hip hop star Ti Gonzi. Tapiwa Felix Chikondo, a 35-year-old soldier and car dealer, faces fraud charges linked to a Toyota Mark X that was allegedly brought into the country illegally.

Chikondo appeared before Harare magistrate Francis Mapfumo on Thursday, 6 November 2025. He was granted bail of US$600 (approx. R10,800) and will be back in court at a later date. This court appearance comes just days after he was in the dock for a separate incident involving the alleged assault of police officers who were attempting to arrest Prophet Magaya.

A Complex Web Of Car Fraud

The court heard detailed allegations from the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra), which is the complainant in the case. The State, represented by Lancelot Mutsokoti, outlined a complex scheme that took place between July and August 2024.

According to the prosecution, Chikondo secured an ex-Japanese Toyota Mark X sedan at Yadah Hotel in Waterfalls, Harare. The vehicle had not been cleared by customs and no import duty had been paid. It is alleged that Chikondo then identified a legally registered Toyota Mark X, owned by a man named Dumisani Dube with the registration number ABX 7852. Chikondo allegedly used the details of this legitimate vehicle to fraudulently apply for a change of number plates from the CID Vehicle Theft Squad.

He then engaged a clearance agent, Andrew Musoni, who presented the documents to the Central Vehicle Registry. A new set of number plates, AGS 2550, still registered in Dumisani Dube’s name, were issued. Musoni allegedly gave these plates to Chikondo, who then affixed them to the smuggled Toyota Mark X, effectively giving the illegal vehicle a false identity.

Star Musician Loses Thousands

The disguised vehicle was then offered for sale. On 29 August 2024, hip hop artist Tinashe Gonzara, popularly known as Ti Gonzi, was at Eastlea Car Sales looking for a vehicle. A car dealer, Jarmine Rubatika, led him to the Yadah Hotel car park where Chikondo was located. Ti Gonzi negotiated to buy the Toyota Mark X.

The musician paid the full asking price of US$5,000 (approx. R90,000) to Chikondo. However, the car’s true status was uncovered months later. On 7 January 2025, detectives from the CID Vehicle Theft Squad impounded the vehicle in Mbare while it was being driven by Ti Gonzi. He was informed that the car was smuggled and had fake number plates.

Investigations confirmed the vehicle had no record of import, clearance, or duty payment with Zimra. The tax authority stated it suffered an actual prejudice of US$3,389.55 (approx. R61,000) in unpaid import duty. For Ti Gonzi, the loss was even greater. He alleges he suffered a prejudice of US$5,000, which has not been recovered. In a separate social media post on 4 November 2025, the musician claimed the amount was US$6,000 (approx. R108,000) and that he had written to the president for help after feeling his case was being ignored.

In his emotional plea, Ti Gonzi wrote:

“Your Excellency, I write to you as a citizen who has ran out of options to be able to recover my US$6 000 I lost in the hands of that man besides Walter Magaya in handcuffs. He sold me an unregistered car with fake number plates only to start running away from me just a day after I discovered the problem.”

He further claimed that he had tried to seek assistance directly from Prophet Magaya but was ultimately avoided after an initial meeting.

Ongoing Legal Battles

Chikondo was represented in court by his lawyer, Malvern Mapako. The accused is a corporal in the Zimbabwe National Army and works as a security aide for Magaya’s PHD Ministries. His recent legal troubles are not limited to this fraud case. His appearance on 6 November was his second in a week, following the earlier charges linked to the arrest of Prophet Magaya.

The court will now have to untangle the web of allegations surrounding the smuggled car as both Zimra and Ti Gonzi seek justice and recovery of their lost funds.