×
NewsDay

AMH is an independent media house free from political ties or outside influence. We have four newspapers: The Zimbabwe Independent, a business weekly published every Friday, The Standard, a weekly published every Sunday, and Southern and NewsDay, our daily newspapers. Each has an online edition.

High Court evicts 3 pastors from church premises

News
THREE ex-communicated Independent African Church (Mushakata) pastors were last week ordered to vacate the church’s premises after the latter successfully applied for an eviction order against them. BY CHARLES LAITON High Court judge, Justice Priscilla Chigumba, gave pastors Shame Chituri of Highfield, Blessing Mbofana of Sakubva and Elisha Kambonje of Dangamvura, a 10-day ultimatum to […]

THREE ex-communicated Independent African Church (Mushakata) pastors were last week ordered to vacate the church’s premises after the latter successfully applied for an eviction order against them. BY CHARLES LAITON

gavel

High Court judge, Justice Priscilla Chigumba, gave pastors Shame Chituri of Highfield, Blessing Mbofana of Sakubva and Elisha Kambonje of Dangamvura, a 10-day ultimatum to vacate the church’s premises or risk being ejected by the sheriff of the High Court.

Justice Chigumba’s order followed an application by the church, through its secretary-general, Rodwell Pangakushoma, who approached the court accusing the men-of-the-cloth of refusing to vacate the church premises despite having been excommunicated from the organisation The three pastors were accused of having formed their own factions in an attempt to take over the running of the church affairs in 2011.

Pangakushoma said the three pastors were later dismissed from employment after a disciplinary hearing and eventually fired from employment, but were refusing to vacate the church’s properties, hence, application at the High Court.

“Respondents (Chituri, Mbofana and Kambonje) be and are, hereby, ordered to vacate from their respective church premises, which are stands number 4070 Old Highfield, Harare, stand number 11 Sakubva, Mutare and stand number 1C Dangamvura Township, Mutare, within 10 days from service of this order,” Justice Chigumba ruled.

“The sheriff of the High Court be, and is hereby, authorised to enforce the said order should respondents fail to comply with paragraph (1) above. Respondents to pay costs at an attorney/client scale.”

In his founding affidavit, Pangakushoma said he had approached the court seeking the evictions of the pastors by virtue of a national executive council resolution giving him the mandate to do so.

However, in their opposing affidavits, the pastors dismissed Pangakushoma’s assertions, arguing they were still pastors of the church adding the latter had no locus standi to institute proceedings on behalf of the church, an assertion dismissed by the court. However, their arguments were not accepted by the court.