Madzibaba arrested for bedding minor

Crime Reporter

A 35-year-old self-styled prophet based in Glen View, Harare has been arrested on allegations of bedding a minor.

Marvellous Tunha popularly known as Madzibaba Joshua is alleged to have been intimate with a 14-year-old girl who was in  Form 1.

Tunha who is the founder and leader of St Joshua Apostolic Church located in Churu Farm in Glen View, Harare was arrested on Sunday and is still in custody as investigations continue.

The incidents occurred between October and November this year.

Harare provincial police spokesperson Inspector Luckmore Chakanza confirmed the arrest.

Allegations are that sometime in October, Tunha proposed to the girl and she accepted. On an unknown date in October, Tunha is alleged to have sent a message on WhatsApp requesting to meet her at the intersection of Willowvale Road and 11th Avenue in Glen View 3. He then went to pick her up before driving to a lodge in Kuwadzana where they became intimate.

It is further alleged that in mid-November again, Tunha contacted the victim and went to another lodge where they became intimate. The victim’s mother became suspicious when her daughter arrived home late.

In mid-December, the girl’s mother then had access to her cellphone and discovered some love messages between her and Tunha.

On Unity Day, the mother took the victim to a place in Marlborough for counselling and that is when she revealed about the alleged sexual abuse before a report was made to the police.

 Tunha was then arrested while the victim was referred to Sally Mugabe Hospital for medical examination. 

Meanwhile, a 27-year-old Beitbridge man has been arrested on allegations of raping a 14-year-old girl in a commuter omnibus. The suspect has since appeared in court facing indecent assault and rape charges.

He was remanded in custody to January 10, 2025 for trial. It is alleged that on December 23, 2024, the victim was travelling with her parents from South Africa to Zimbabwe in a Toyota Hiace and the suspect was also a passenger in the same vehicle. When they arrived at the Border Post, the victim remained in the vehicle while her parents were processing some documents.

The suspect also remained in the vehicle and he later fondled the victim before raping her. The victim later revealed to her mother of what had happened leading to the arrest of the suspect.