Prophetic, Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries founder Walter Magaya, has dismissed a lawsuit of nearly $2 million filed by an aggrieved Harare couple who claim they “seeded” expensive vehicles and cash to fulfil a “prophecy” of owning an airline.
BY CHARLES LAITON/JAIROS SAUNYAMA
In the summons filed in April this year under case numbers HC36561/15, HC 3857/15 and 3858/15, Upenyu and Blessing Mashangwa said they were seeking to recover a Landrover Discovery 4 valued at R890 000 and the $15 000 they “seeded” in cash after Magaya had allegedly given them a prophecy. The said seed, according to the couple, was a precondition for the prophecy’s fulfilment.
The couple claims at one point Magaya requested to meet them so that he could share with them a prophetic revelation. They claimed it was during that time when he visited their house that was up for sale, that he allegedly told them they would soon own an airline.
The two, who are businesspeople, further said they were also seeking to further recover $44 000 which was balance of payment for seven commuter omnibuses they purchased on behalf of Magaya.
In another claim, Mashangwa said she was demanding $1 million for contumelia, deprivation of freedom and mental anguish and defamation of character after Magaya allegedly caused his arrest for an alleged fraud amounting to $40 000.
Responding to Upenyu’s claim, Magaya’ lawyer advocate Thabani Mpofu said the plaintiffs were suing on a “false cause” as they never acquired any vehicle for the defendant.
“No court can consequently relate to the details of the article of faith on the basis upon which they sue,” Mpofu said.
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On their arrests, he said: “The criminal charges were not brought by [the] defendant, but the complaint was brought by PHD Ministries. The matter is still pending before the criminal courts and has not yet been resolved.”
Magaya further said he would call the said lawyers to give testimony in the matter if his application for a special plea was going to be upheld by the High Court.
“Further take notice that at the hearing of the special plea, defendant will avail himself of the opportunity of placing the requisite evidence before the court in terms of the rules and will do so through the proper complainant in the matter,” Mpofu said. “Wherefore defendant prays that the special plea may be upheld and that this claim may be dismissed with costs.
“The second claim for defamation is not based on any words uttered or published by defendant, it does not claim that any such words were uttered or published and does not set out what those words were. The requisites for a defamation claim have consequently not been pleaded,” he added.
The couple is represented by Venturas and Samkange.
Meanwhile, Magaya yesterday laun-ched a multi-million dollar Yadah Villa housing project in Waterfalls.
The project will see Magaya’s Planet Africa Company construct 1 500 housing units in Harare and Chitungwiza.
Speaking to thousands of business- people and church members during the launch of the project, Magaya said 236 houses being constructed in Waterfalls would be complete by December this year.
He however did not reveal the total amount injected into the project.
“We are constructing houses not in Waterfalls only. We have the same concept in Westgate, Borrowdale and Chitungwiza. Our target is to construct about 1 500 houses. As for the money injected into the project, I wouldn’t want to publicise but they are a few millions. Our God will provide us with the money,” Magaya said.
“We started construction on January 20 this year and by the first week of December the Waterfalls project will be complete. Currently we are yet to table the prices for the houses and by next week we will have them.”
In Waterfalls, a clinic, grocery shop, salon, wedding venue and crèche will be constructed at the site.
Recently Magaya claimed to have set up a $10 billion business venture under Planet Africa to carry out projects in various sectors, including mining and construction.
Meanwhile, Magaya claimed more than a quarter of Botswana’s population will attend his three-day crusade in that country next month.
“We are going to invade Botswana between July 2 and 4. I am expecting nothing less than 500 000 people. The country has a small population and if it was not for that, I do not know how many people were going to attend,” he said.
