The Christ Pride Ministries church in Zimbabwe has been thrown into a state of chaos after a female pastor identified as Pastor Petronella Zenda allegedly duped congregants the sum of $13000 (N4m) in two weeks after asking church members along with their friends to join a whatsapp group where members would deposit money into her ecocash account promising them returns after 24 hours.
According to H-metro, members only realized they had been duped of their money meant for school fees when they failed to reap from their bids.
Speaking ot H-metro about the incident, one of the affected members, only identified as Saurombe said: “I could not believe it. Some of the Bible scriptures where it is written Jesus took a whip and attacked Pharisees for turning His father’s temple into a market place, this is exactly what pastor Zenda and her husband are doing,” said the source.
Pastor Zenda is reported to have asked Tsitsi, her husband Gwanzura and Alice’s accounts following an overwhelming response from group members. Members were asked to join the group by paying a non-refundable fee of $12 and some parted ways with more than $500. Pastor Zenda confirmed administering the group saying she formed the group after she was duped of her money after joining a similar group.
“I am really sorry but honestly speaking, I administered the group but never benefited as alleged. I am prepared to show you a print out of the money deposited into my account,’ said pastor Zenda.
“I formed this group for church members and the members asked for my permission to include their relatives and friends and I strongly suspect that members who are not from our church are the ones against me. Ndakasunganidza mbudzi ne hwayi, I regret it but my aim was to enable church members to get capital to start big businesses that would help them fend for their families.
“I am prepared to close the group but people are forcing me to continue accusing those who take the issue to press as evil. This group came about after I lost my money from a similar group and realized where they get it wrong. I wanted my group to be better, I am really sorry if this affected marriages when it meant to benefit them. I do not have money to give those who failed to reap after the account they deposited the money crushed, they lost it so did I and some benefited before they lost at last and cannot be prepared to give back the money. To those who used school fees money and so forth, they violated the rules of the group since it was meant for extra money not that of school fees or club money,” she said.
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