Police say they are unaware of an alleged investigation against prominent church leader Batsirai Java in connection with a viral audio that detailed alleged state capture under President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s rule.
Last week, there were reports that police had launched a manhunt for Java, who is the founder of the Tabernacle of Grace Church, on various charges including treason, publishing falsehoods prejudicial to the state, bigotry, and undermining the authority of the president.
The audio recording, which surfaced about two months ago, featured unidentified people making a series of claims about Zimbabwe’s political landscape.
One of the people in the video claimed that businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei boasted to controversial preacher Passion Java that he was Zimbabwe’s next leader. Passion is Java’s brother.
The Tabernacle of Grace Church leader has since distanced himself from the recording.
Sources, however, said the preacher has been subjected to a series of police raids at his Tabernacle of Grace Church and home, while his secretary and an aide were also reportedly picked up for questioning.
An online publication claimed that the police Law and Order section had opened a docket against Java containing four charges.
It named chief superintendent Runganga as the officer leading the investigation.
Runganga has since reportedly been transferred to Bindura. Police spokesperson commissioner Paul Nyathi said he had no knowledge of such an investigation.
“I have not received any report relating to any investigation involving Batsirai Java,” Nyathi said.
His comments raised questions over the circumstances surrounding the raids and the reported investigation, particularly whether the operation has been formally sanctioned by the police hierarchy.
Police sources said there was no substantive case against Java and alleged that the investigations were being driven by a senior police officer acting at the behest of another prominent religious figure.
The politically connected cleric allegedly put together a fund of US$30 000 to target Java.
A senior police officer was accused of deploying subordinates to conduct raids on Java’s properties using police resources.
The source also alleged that the same religious figure was behind the online report linking Java to the charges, claiming that Mnangagwa’s name was invoked to create the impression that the investigation had official backing.
A police officer is said to have vowed that Java would not attend the Generation Next conference, which was held in July in Harare, and that he should not be allowed to return to his church.
“Unfortunately, church competition and politics have become the central issue in the audio case, with the Zimbabwe Republic Police becoming the battleground,” a police officer said. Other church leaders whose names were mentioned on the viral recording were Ubert Angel and Emmanuel Makandiwa.
Police sources said there were suspicions that the story was resurrected because Java’s rivals felt it was losing steam.
“In order to set up the preacher again, money was pumped into the media space to resurface the dead story,” the officer said.