A HARARE church leader who was on bail for rape charges was over the weekend rearrested for attempting to silence the woman he raped in July by giving her a bribe of $1 000.
Takura Gadzikwa, 34, is the founder of Greater Embassy ministries which operates from Cameroon Street in the city.
Gadzikwa was this week dragged to the magistrates’ courts together with his wife, Evermore, an accomplice in the new case.
He was charged for defeating or obstructing the course of justice and bribery.
Prosecutors told court that Gadzikwa, who resides in Greendale, was arrested for rape in July this year and was released on $30 bail at Chivhu magistrate court.
As part of his bail conditions, he was ordered not to interfere with state witness.
However, between August 17 and September 3, Gadzikwa sent WhatsApp messages to the victim persuading her to withdraw the charges.
On September 3, Gadzikwa sent messages to the woman’s sister and asked her to come for lunch at a restaurant in Eastlea. He promised to give them $1,000.
The sister then made a police report and a trap was set.
The two sisters then went to the meeting place where they met the pastor and his wife.
Gadzikwa ordered lunch for them and later gave them $1,000 not knowing that they were being monitored by the police.
The man of the cloth was subsequently arrested together with his wife.