The Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) has started investigations concerning rape and sexual exploitation allegations levelled against Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries (PHD) leader and founder Walter Magaya.

This comes on the heels of a recent High Court order granting a go ahead for the investigations to go on after Magaya failed in his attempt to stop the probe through a legal challenge.

The probe was gazetted on 23 August 2019 (General Notice NO.1444) however, Magaya presented a legal challenge which halted the process.

In a statement Thursday, the ZGC called out to all victims of the cleric to come forward and submit their allegations for the probe to commence.

“ZGC wishes to advise members of the public that the ZGC in its commission meeting number 38 on the 4th of August 2022 resolved to recommend investigation of the allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse of women levelled against prophet Walter Magaya of PhD Ministries.

“The investigation which was gazetted on the 23rd of August 2019 (General notice No. 1444/2019) was halted by the legal challenge launched by the key respondent Walter Magaya.

“We are happy that the courts have given legal go ahead which have paved way for the continuance of our process.”

“As such, we are calling on all citizens who might have complaints of sexual exploitation and abuse involving the conduct of Walter Magaya to present particulars of their complaints to the Zimbabwe Gender commission,” read the statement.

In July 2019, a number of women came out alleging rape and sexual exploitation claims against Magaya, however their efforts failed to take off after his legal challenge to stop the investigation. -Nhau/Indaba