United Church of Christ in Zimbabwe (UCCZ) has suspended Chikanga Assembly pastor in Mutare for pestering a 17-year-old girl from his church whom he allegedly invited to his house and to go swimming.
The suspension is for six months without pay.
Efforts to get a comment from Reverend Liberty Maadza were futile but Chipinge Times is in possession of a letter authored by UCCZ president Reverend John Matiza dated May 15, 2024 and effecting the suspension.
Matiza confirmed the case but refused to comment further saying that it was a spiritual matter.
Efforts to get a comment from Maadza were futile.
After seeing a status of someone swimming on the girl’s phone, Maadza allegedly sent a WhatsApp message and asked the girl if she can swim and suggested that they go swimming one day.
“What about your wife…you are supposed to take your wife there not me,” responded the girl in a WhatsApp message.
Maadza is also said to have persistently asked the girl to come to his place.
Chipinge Times is reliably informed that Maadza has since moved out of the church house but is still attending church in Chikanga. However, some church members complained that the six months slapped on Maadza is too lenient considering that former president Ephraim Ngadziore suspended other priests for two years for similar cases.
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“This is not a case that we permit to be published in the newspaper. We dealt with the case in the spiritual life of the church and these cases are not taken to the press,” said Matiza
“This letter serves to inform you that Rev Liberty Maadza has been suspended from his ministerial duties for a period of six months with effect from May 1, 2024 to October 31, 2024 without pay. He has been asked to vacate the church house with immediate effect and will not be allowed to perform any pastoral duties during the period of his suspension.
“Meanwhile, the North-Eastern Conference Supt Rev Joshua Mapaure will be in charge of Chikanga church during the period of Rev Maadza’s suspension,” reads the suspension letter.
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