Holy Hoax: Church Leader Caught And Arrested For Impersonation And Fraud

Holy Hoax: Church Leader Caught And Arrested For Impersonation And Fraud

A church leader from Mbare is facing legal consequences for fraud and impersonating an official from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) to obtain land for expanding his church’s premises.

Kudzai Ngoni Nyamasoka, 29, is accused of falsely claiming connections with the Office of the President and Cabinet and membership in the ruling Zanu-PF party. He was granted bail at $200 and is scheduled to appear in Mbare Magistrate Court on June 18.

Details of the Case that led to the church leader’s arrest

Prosecutor Thomas Chanakira revealed that Nyamasoka, a pastor at Faith Ministries International in Mbare, Harare, is charged with fraud and forgery. The City of Harare is the complainant in this case.

The issue began in January when Faith Ministries International sought to acquire land adjacent to its current location. This land, previously used as a parking lot by Faith Ministries, had been temporarily leased to True Believers International Ministries.

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Church leader arrested
Mbare church leader arrested for fraud and impersonation-Image Source@iStock
Faith Ministries’ application to secure the land as an extension was unsuccessful. Allegedly, Nyamasoka, representing Faith Ministries, responded by attempting to intimidate members of True Believers International Ministries. He is said to have involved individuals posing as members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), the President’s Department, and the Zanu-PF youth league to harass the rival church’s congregants.

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Impersonation and Fraudulent Activities

In April 2024, Nyamasoka reportedly contacted council officials while pretending to be a Zacc officer, urging them to cancel the land allocation to the competing church. Additionally, he is accused of creating a counterfeit letter with a fake letterhead, instructing the district officer to stop the land allocation process due to supposed ongoing Zacc investigations.

Following a police report, Nyamasoka was arrested. The legal proceedings against him are ongoing, with his next court appearance scheduled for June 18.

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The post Holy Hoax: Church Leader Caught And Arrested For Impersonation And Fraud appeared first on iHarare News.

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