A Zimbabwean pastor and General Overseer of Greater Life Embassy Church, Takura Gaadzikwa, who was dragged to an Harare Magistrates Court on charges of raping a member of his church, had the court in laughter as he said he never believed it was rape because he wore two condoms so as to prevent pregnancy and that since he had sex with the lady three times, he could not be charged for rape.
Also to buttress the fact that he did not rape the girl, he told the court she was 19-years-old at the time and therefore, above the legal age of sexual consent which is 18.
According to the report in MyZimbabwe, Gaadzikwa who is popularly called Apostle Try-Emmanuel by his followers, insisted that he and the girl are lovers and that the three times she had sex with her, they were consensual and he never forced her.
The complainant who stays in Egypt, Highfields in Harare, however insisted that Gaadzikwa had raped her.
The court, led by Prosecutor Audrey Mupini, heard that sometime after the alleged rape in July, 2015, the lady sent a WhatsApp message to Gaadzikwa and informed him that she had fallen pregnant but that Gaadzikwa disagreed to her claim, and told her that she could not be pregnant because he had worn two condoms when he slept with her.
In his evidence in court, Gaadzikwa reportedly said:
"I fell in love with the complainant in April, during the Easter holidays. We visited a lot of places together during our relationship. From April to July, we have been sending love messages to each other via WhatsApp.
We made love three times and the first time, I wore two condoms but the other times, I did not but I withdrew before I ejaculated, so she could not be pregnant for me."
But the complainant identified as Beatrice and her sister insists Gaadzikwa raped her and had even tried to bribe them to drop the rape case.
She told the court:
"He gave us money but the money was immediately taken away by the Police to be produced as exhibit at the court."
