Prophet Evidence Chari, the founder of Grace Family International Church, appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Gamuchirai Gore on Friday, facing charges of assault and making threats. The allegations stemmed from an incident involving a woman, Caroline Roberts, who had lent Chari her car, which he got involved in an accident with.
Chari and the complainant Caroline Roberts know each other. On January 12, at approximately 9 pm, at Kingstone House, located at the corner of Takawira Road and Kwame Road in Harare, a disagreement arose between Chari and Roberts concerning the vehicle’s accident.
During the altercation, Chari allegedly threatened Roberts’s life and the lives of her family members, saying, “Ndokunyudza iwe nemhuri yenyu, do you know who I am? I am Evidence Chari handinhongwe mumastreets emuZimbabwe zvekudaro.”
Furthermore, Chari purportedly summoned his colleagues, who identified themselves as individuals from the Office of the President and Cabinet, to the scene. These associates allegedly threatened to harm Roberts and her mother.
Fortunately, Roberts managed to defuse the situation, and Chari eventually departed. However, the events took another distressing turn on January 16. Around 5 pm, at the Main Post Office in Harare, Roberts encountered Chari again, hoping to resolve the conflicts that had arisen from their earlier dispute.
As Roberts stood by her open car door, seeking dialogue, Chari allegedly became suddenly violent, forcefully slamming the car door into her, causing her injuries. Spotting Roberts’s friend, Frank Felix Nyeche, nearby, Chari proceeded to shout at him, seemingly inciting an assault.
Roberts intervened, attempting to shield her friend from harm, but Chari forcefully pushed her away from Nyeche, using his hands. Fearing for their safety, Roberts and Nyeche sought refuge in a nearby shop.
As a result of the altercation, Roberts sustained visible bruises on her body. Subsequently, she reported the incidents to the police, leading to Chari’s subsequent arrest.
