Robert Martin Gumbura

{{Short description|Zimbabwean Christian pastor (died 2021)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
[[File:Robert Gumbura cropped.png|thumb|Gumbura in an undated photograph]]
'''Robert Martin Gumbura''' (July 1956<ref>{{Cite web |title=Robert Martin GUMBURA personal appointments |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/2qloRyfs_XtVkcL1iuz54sDRS4s/appointments |access-date=7 August 2023 |website=find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk |language=en}}</ref> – 7 August 2021) was a Zimbabwean religious leader who was the pastor of the RMG Independent End Time Message Church in Zimbabwe. 

==Biography==
Gumbura was a practitioner of [[polygamy]] and a follower of the teachings of American charismatic preacher [[William Branham]], sometimes called Branhamism or The Message.<ref name = "lav">{{cite news|date=9 January 2014|title=Gumbura's lavish lifestyle exposed|publisher=News Day|url=https://www.newsday.co.zw/2014/01/gumburas-lavish-lifestyle-exposed/}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=7 August 2021|title=Rapist Gumbura dies of Covid in prison|url=https://www.thestandard.co.zw/2021/08/08/rapist-gumbura-dies-of-covid-in-prison/|access-date=8 August 2021|website=The Standard|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.zimeye.net/2015/01/18/exclusive-gumbura-agents-invade-stanbic-bank-harare/|title=NATIONAL RELIGION EXCLUSIVE: Gumbura Agents Infiltrate Stanbic Bank, Harare|publisher=ZimEye|date=15 January 2015}}</ref>

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.<ref name = "lav"/><ref name ="hu"/> 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,<ref name = "prg"/><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=31 January 2014|title=Breaking News: Gumbura convicted|url=https://www.herald.co.zw/breaking-news-gumbura-convicted/|access-date=9 March 2021|website=[[The Herald (Zimbabwe)|The Herald]]|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Gumbura suffers another setback|url=https://dailynews.co.zw/gumbura-suffers-another-setback/|access-date=9 March 2021|website=DailyNews|language=en-GB}}</ref> and was convicted of four counts of rape and one on possession of pornographic material on 31 January 2014.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=|title=Breaking: Gumbura sentenced to 40 years|url=https://www.newsday.co.zw/2014/02/03/breaking-gumbura-sentenced-40-years/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304111913/https://www.newsday.co.zw/2014/02/03/breaking-gumbura-sentenced-40-years/|archive-date=4 March 2016|access-date=10 March 2021|website=[[NewsDay (Zimbabwean newspaper)|NewsDay]]}}</ref> 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<ref name = "prg">{{Cite web|date=24 January 2015|title=Pastor Robert Gumbura who had unprotected sex with over 100 women bounces back|url=http://www.myzimbabwe.co.zw/news/2403-pastor-robert-gumbura-who-had-unprotected-sex-with-over-100-women-bounces-back.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116050910/http://www.myzimbabwe.co.zw/news/2403-pastor-robert-gumbura-who-had-unprotected-sex-with-over-100-women-bounces-back.html|archive-date=16 November 2017|access-date=10 March 2021|website=My Zimbabwe}}</ref> 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.<ref name ="hu"/> 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.<ref name ="hu">{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Updated: Gumbura sentenced to 40 years|url=https://www.herald.co.zw/breaking-newsgumbura-sentenced-to-40-years/|access-date=10 March 2021|website=The Herald|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=|title=Gumbura sentenced to an effective 40 years|url=http://www.zbc.co.zw/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=41123:gumbura-sentenced-to-an-effective-40-years&catid=41:top-stories&Itemid=86|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304040139/http://www.zbc.co.zw/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=41123:gumbura-sentenced-to-an-effective-40-years&catid=41:top-stories&Itemid=86|archive-date=4 March 2016|access-date=10 March 2021|website=ZBC}}</ref> His church was also suspended by Zimbabwe's religious body, the [[Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe]] (ACCZ).<ref>{{Cite web|date=6 June 2014|title=Is Ndanga persecuting Christian churches in Zimbabwe?|url=https://nehandaradio.com/2014/06/06/ndanga-persecuting-christian-churches-zimbabwe/|access-date=10 March 2021|website=Nehanda Radio|language=en-US}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite web|date=|title=Gumbura behind Chikurubi Prison riots: Mnangagwa|url=https://www.newsday.co.zw/2015/03/19/gumbura-behind-chikurubi-prison-riots-mnangagwa/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304111950/https://www.newsday.co.zw/2015/03/19/gumbura-behind-chikurubi-prison-riots-mnangagwa/|archive-date=4 March 2016|access-date=10 March 2021|website=NewsDay}}</ref>

Gumbura died on 7 August 2021, from complications of [[COVID-19]] at the Chikurubi Prison in [[Harare]].<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=7 August 2021|title=Gumbura dies from Covid-19 in prison|url=https://www.newsday.co.zw/2021/08/gumbura-dies-from-covid-19-in-prison/|access-date=8 August 2021|website=NewsDay Zimbabwe|language=en-US}}</ref>

==References==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gumbura, Robert}}
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:Zimbabwean criminals]]
[[Category:Members of the clergy convicted of rape]]
[[Category:Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe]]
[[Category:Prisoners who died from COVID-19]]
[[Category:Cult leaders]]