A day after Robert Gumbura, the disgraced leader of the RMG End Time Message church, was convicted of four counts of rape, there was little activity at his home in Malborough yesterday.
BY PHYLLIS MBANJE
Expectations had been high that some members of his church would descend on the home to pray for the leader who faces the possibility of life imprisonment when he is sentenced tomorrow.
Only four of the wives were spotted by The Standard, driving out of their high-walled residence, on their way to the nearby shopping centre yesterday.
Their relaxed mood was in sharp contrast to the strained and sorrowful looks that they exhibited at court during the Friday ruling which was delivered by Harare magistrate, Hosiah Majaya.
Dressed in colourful weekend outfits, the wives, who were accompanied by several kids, were seen leaving their fortified mansion in a silver Toyota Noah vehicle and driving to Greencroft shops.
Talking animatedly to each other, two of the wives disembarked from the vehicle and made their way into OK supermarket.
For close to an hour, the wives took turns to go inside the shop to make their purchases.
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They later came out clutching loaded shopping bags, which they stashed in the boot of the vehicle.
In an unhurried manner, those that had finished their shopping sat in the car while others lounged against the car.
Outside Gumbura’s residence in Helena Close in Marlborough, the street looked deserted and uneventful.
Neighbours who declined to be named said the goings on at the house were unknown.
“We just see them going in and out but they rarely talk to anyone. Even during the time they used to conduct services, it was difficult to hear anything because of the high pre-cast walls,” said an elderly man who lives a few houses from the Gumburas.
Another woman who was coming out of her gate said she could not comment on their lifestyle as they were very private people. “I have been here a while but I have never spoken to any of the wives. My kids do not go there either and so I don’t know how they live or what sort of person Gumbura was other than what I read,” said the woman.
Asked if she was not worried that a convicted rapist had been living in her street, she said her kids were either at school or in the house watching television or playing in the yard most of the time. “I am not worried because my kids do not play outside the gate and besides, he is going to jail for a long time so that is not an issue,” she said before driving off.
A gardener who was tending to some flowers however said the Gumburas were very social people.
“I have not had an unpleasant experience with them. They are quite sociable people and even once invited me to their church but I declined since I already fellowship elsewhere,” he said.
