HARARE - Jailed Independent End Time Message founder Robert Martin Gumbura’s bail hearing has been deferred to tomorrow, after the State failed to file its response on time.
Prosecutor Editor Mavuto told a High Court Judge that he needed time to go through Gumbura’s voluminous application before tendering a response.
Gumbura, who is currently serving a 40-year prison term, appealed to the High Court last week after Harare regional magistrate Hosea Mujaya said he had no jurisdiction to entertain the appeal.
Gumbura was convicted on four counts of raping church congregants.
The 57-year-old pastor, through his lawyer Rekai Maposa, initially made an application for bail before Mujaya, who said bail applications for serious offences fall under the High Court’s jurisdiction.
At the Harare Magistrates’ Court the prosecutor had argued that Gumbura does not have prospects of success on appeal.
“In view of the lengthy custodial sentence that was imposed, coupled with the fact that accused is yet to stand trial on another similar offence in due course, this is sufficient inducement for applicant to abscond once he is released,” prosecutor Jonathan Murombedzi said.
He claimed Gumbura was a flight risk, considering that he has other church branches in South Africa and United Kingdom.
On the other hand, Maposa told the court the conviction and sentence was a misdirection at law, adding that her client was not a flight risk.