The wife and bodyguard of prominent preacher Walter Magaya have been granted bail, leaving the religious leader behind bars to fight separate, serious charges. The dramatic legal developments unfolded in a Harare magistrates’ court on Tuesday, 4 November 2025, creating a stark contrast in the fates of the accused individuals.
Tendai Magaya, the wife of the Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries founder, was granted bail set at US$500 (approx. ZAR 9 500). This decision came despite the State’s objections.
In her ruling, Harare Magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa acknowledged the seriousness of the fraud allegations but found no compelling reason to keep Tendai Magaya in custody.
“The court found that the State had failed to provide compelling reasons to justify continued detention, noting that Tendai was not a flight risk,” the magistrate stated, according to ZiFM Stereo News. Magistrate Gofa added that “denying bail under such circumstances would amount to a travesty of justice.”
As part of her bail conditions, Tendai Magaya was ordered to surrender her passport and report to the Waterfalls Police Station every two weeks. She is scheduled to return to court on 18 November 2025.
Bodyguard Also Granted Bail
In a separate but connected hearing, Magaya’s bodyguard, Tapiwa Felix Chikondo, was also granted bail. The 34-year-old serving member of the Zimbabwe National Army was released on a US$300 (approx. ZAR 5 700) bail by Harare Provincial Magistrate Tapiwa Kuhudzai. Chikondo faces charges of obstructing the course of justice during the police operation to arrest Walter Magaya at his Waterfalls prayer mountain on Saturday, 1 November 2025.
Chikondo’s lawyer, Stephen Chikotora, argued vigorously for his client’s release, disputing the State’s narrative. He claimed his client was being unfairly targeted.
“He never interfered with the arrest and was not even aware of what was happening up the mountain. The State is trading on speculation,” Chikotora told the court, as reported by ZimLive. “This is not a serious offence — even on conviction, the maximum sentence is one year.”
The prosecutor, Lancelot Mutsokoti, had opposed bail, citing Chikondo’s alleged history of violent behaviour and a pending case for a similar offence.
No Bail For Walter Magaya On Rape Charge
While his wife and employee were granted freedom, Walter Magaya himself found no relief. Magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa dismissed an application for his immediate release, which was based on the argument that he had been detained beyond the constitutional 48-hour limit. The magistrate ruled that while there had been an over-detention, it did not warrant his release.
Crucially, the court also refused to entertain any bail application for the rape charge Magaya is facing, stating it had no jurisdiction. The magistrate advised Magaya to approach the High Court for bail on that specific charge. He was remanded in custody until 13 November 2025.
His lawyer, Admire Rubaya, indicated they would not seek bail for the fraud case at the magistrates’ court but would instead take both the fraud and rape bail applications directly to the High Court. The fraud case involves 13 counts related to an alleged multi-million-dollar housing scheme that failed to materialise, with investigations reportedly ongoing since 2023.
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