Robert Martin Gumbura
Robert Martin Gumbura (July 1956[1] – 7 August 2021) was a Zimbabwean religious leader who was the pastor of the RMG Independent End Time Message Church in Zimbabwe.
Biography
[edit]Gumbura was a practitioner of polygamy and a follower of the teachings of American charismatic preacher William Branham, sometimes called Branhamism or The Message.[2][3][4]
Gumbura's estate was lavishly furnished. News media reported there were about 400 members of his church. Gumbara lived at the compound with his eleven wives, thirty children, and other members of his church congregation.[2][5] Gumbura was arrested and charged with nine counts of rape and possession of illegal pornographic material in 2013. He was cleared on four counts of rape,[6][7][8] and was convicted of four counts of rape and one on possession of pornographic material on 31 January 2014.[7][9] Testimony at the trial alleged that he had claimed he had the right to have sexual intercourse with any woman in his congregation, and news reports stated he had relations with over 100 women in the church[6] and that he treated the women of the church as "his personal property" and would "loan out" the women to other men in the church.[5] He was initially sentenced to 50 years in Chikurubi Prison, but ten years were suspended from his sentence for good behavior, resulting in an expected sentence of 40 years.[5][10] His church was also suspended by Zimbabwe's religious body, the Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe (ACCZ).[11]
On 18 March 2015, vice president and justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa told the Parliament of Zimbabwe that Gumbura was one of more than 100 inmates involved in the planning of a violent riot over food that broke out at the prison on 13 March.[12]
Gumbura died on 7 August 2021, from complications of COVID-19 at the Chikurubi Prison in Harare.[3][13]
References
[edit]- ^ "Robert Martin GUMBURA personal appointments". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
- ^ a b "Gumbura's lavish lifestyle exposed". News Day. 9 January 2014.
- ^ a b "Rapist Gumbura dies of Covid in prison". The Standard. 7 August 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
- ^ "NATIONAL RELIGION EXCLUSIVE: Gumbura Agents Infiltrate Stanbic Bank, Harare". ZimEye. 15 January 2015.
- ^ a b c "Updated: Gumbura sentenced to 40 years". The Herald. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ a b "Pastor Robert Gumbura who had unprotected sex with over 100 women bounces back". My Zimbabwe. 24 January 2015. Archived from the original on 16 November 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ a b "Breaking News: Gumbura convicted". The Herald. 31 January 2014. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ^ "Gumbura suffers another setback". DailyNews. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ^ "Breaking: Gumbura sentenced to 40 years". NewsDay. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ "Gumbura sentenced to an effective 40 years". ZBC. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ "Is Ndanga persecuting Christian churches in Zimbabwe?". Nehanda Radio. 6 June 2014. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ "Gumbura behind Chikurubi Prison riots: Mnangagwa". NewsDay. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ "Gumbura dies from Covid-19 in prison". NewsDay Zimbabwe. 7 August 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2021.