The $200 EcoCash Bribe: Magaya's Bodyguard Arrested for Obstruction
Accused: Tapiwa Felix Chikondo | Charge: Defeating the Course of Justice
The legal noose is tightening around the inner circle of PHD Ministries. Just weeks after police warned of a massive US$200,000 "War Chest" being raised to bribe officials, Tapiwa Felix Chikondo—a soldier and bodyguard to Prophet Walter Magaya—has been arrested. He is accused of sending a secret payment to a key witness in a rape case against the cleric.
Behind Bars
The 35-year-old soldier appeared in court on 2 December 2025 and remains in custody.
OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE
Current Status: Remanded in Custody
Bail Ruling: Set for 5 December 2025
How It Happened
In November 2025, Chikondo allegedly contacted the mother of the complainant in a rape case involving Prophet Magaya. He is accused of discouraging her from cooperating with law enforcement and facilitating back-channel communication between her and the cleric.
Crucially, prosecutors allege Chikondo sent US$200 via EcoCash to the woman. The stated purpose was for "transport to Harare to settle the matter."
The transaction was traced through an EcoCash agent’s register recovered by police on 1 December 2025, directly linking Chikondo to the illicit payment.
The Bigger Picture
The $200,000 Syndicate Warning
This arrest validates an explosive police press release from 15 November 2025. The ZRP warned that a coordinated syndicate was raising a US$200,000 (approx. R3.6 million) war chest to bribe police, prosecutors, and judges to derail cases against Magaya.
While Magaya's lawyer, Admire Rubaya, dismissed these warnings as "megaphone investigations" during a court appearance on 18 November, the arrest of a close aide for witness tampering adds tangible weight to the State's fears.
A History of Trouble
This is not Chikondo's first brush with the law this month.
FRAUD & SMUGGLING
Court Date: 6 Nov 2025
Accused of selling a smuggled Toyota Mark X to hip-hop star Ti Gonzi for US$5,000. He is currently on US$600 bail for this separate offence.
What's Next? Magaya returns to court on 9 December for fraud charges, while Chikondo awaits his bail ruling on 5 December.
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