HARARE - Independent End Time Message Founder Robert Martin Gumbura’s secretary Tendai Ganyani kept pornographic material for fun and future use, a magistrate has heard.
Ganyani is facing charges of possession of pornographic material after detectives reportedly recovered two pornographic magazines, 16 DVDs and over 50 nude pictures in her office at Gumbura’s residence.
She appeared before Harare magistrate Donald Ndirowei.
Assistant Inspector Tichavengwa Robson Sengwe, who was part of the “search team”, told the court that Ganyani led them to a cupboard where she kept the pornographic material.
“We had received information that Gumbura abused women and children at his residence and that he also recorded the abuses and kept DVDs. Ganyani led us to her office and unlocked a wooden cupboard where she kept pornographic DVDs, magazines and pictures,” Sengwe testified.
“She said they belonged to her and that the pictures belonged to women who stayed at Gumbura’s residence including his wives. She also told us that the pictures were for fun and future use.”
Another State witness, 93-year-old Heyi James Malaba, who is chairperson of the Censorship Boards, told the court that pornographic material cease to be private once it is viewed by a second party.
Malaba said the pornographic material found at Gumbura’s residence was indecent and unfavorable for public consumption.
In her defence, Ganyani claims that the police were trying to fix her because she refused to testify against her boss in court.
She also claims the material was destined to be burnt at the church’s annual December convention.
It is Ganyani’s defence that the pornographic material had a confession letter attached from one of the congregants.
Ganyani’s lawyer Rekai Maposa said Sengwe’s evidence was unacceptable because there was no video clip or any recorded material to substantiate his allegations.
Maposa argued that Sengwe was deliberately misrepresenting facts because he is bitter that Ganyani declined being used as a State witness.