ZION Apostolic Faith Mission leader Ezra Pedzisayi has now been confirmed the legitimate head of the church following the dismissal of his brother Jameson’s appeal by the Supreme Court in September this year.
BY CHARLES LAITON
In September last year, Ezra was ruled to be the legitimate bishop by High Court judge Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo, but Jameson filed an appeal challenging the court’s decision and later abandoned the litigation for undisclosed reasons.
“In the result it is ordered as follows: That Ezra Pedzisayi is the legitimate bishop of the plaintiff, that the defendant and all those claiming title through him be and are hereby interdicted from the plaintiff and that the defendant pay cost of suit,” Matanda-Moyo ruled then.
However, Jameson later filed a challenge in the Supreme Court, but failed to submit heads of argument, prompting the registrar of the Supreme Court to dismiss the matter.
In a letter addressed to Jameson’s lawyers dated September 17, 2015, the registrar wrote: “I refer to my letter dated July 13, 2015 in which you were called upon to file heads of argument. To date, no heads of arguments has been received. The appeal is, therefore, deemed to have been abandoned and is accordingly dismissed. By copy of this letter the records of appeal are being returned to court of origin to enable the respondent to execute judgment appealed against.”
In her judgment last year, Justice Matanda-Moyo castigated the Zion Christian Church’s leaders, Archbishops Makuva Mutendi and Tafirenyika Masuka, for “lying” in court while giving evidence.
Mutendi is the Archbishop of Zion Christian Church, while Tafirenyika Masuka is Archbishop under the Zion Apostolic Church which was at the centre of the leadership wrangle.
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The two bishops, however, had been invited to give evidence in the matter pitting the two sons of the late Bishop Dorius Shoko, who was the leader of Zion Apostolic Church.
“The court was baffled with the easiness with which the men of the cloth would evade the truth. It was only when confronted with the inescapable truths that the two bishops would turn around to tell the truth,” Justice Matanda-Moyo said.
After the passing-on of their father, Jameson took the church to court, arguing he was the legitimate person to succeed his late father in accordance with the church’s 1949 covenant.
But his sibling, Ezra, with the support of the church’s council, argued he was the legitimate successor following his appointment by his father through anointment with oil on the head.
In her 10-page judgment while granting leadership to Ezra, Justice Matanda-Moyo said: “I was mostly disappointed by the conduct of Bishop Mutendi and Bishop Masuka. Society looks up to these two senior archbishops. For the bishops not to take court business seriously is a tragedy.
“The two showed disrespect to the court proceedings and were very economical with the truth. It was clear they took sides with the defendant (Jameson). They knew the defendant had not been chosen by the late Bishop Dorius.
“Bishop Mutendi’s evidence was marred with contradictions. To buttress my finding that the two bishops were biased was their answers to the question whether they would ordain Ezra should the court find him to be the true Bishop of the plaintiff (Zion Apostolic Church). Both archbishops, Masuka and Mutendi, responded in the negative.” The judge further said although Jameson tried to bring Zion Apostolic Church to be governed by the 1949 covenant at all costs, his witnesses were not credible.
