The Sunday News
Munyaradzi Musiiwa Midlands Correspondent
ZAOGA Forward in Faith Ministries International has lost thousands of dollars in tithes money to burglars who pounced on the church’s eight branches in different towns and cities around the country between July and August this year. Sunday News has it on good authority that between July and August, a group of thieves allegedly broke into Zaoga church branches in Zvishavane, Kwekwe, Gweru, Victoria Falls, Chitungwiza, and Dzivarasekwa, Waterfalls and Glen Norah in Harare where they stole money which had been collected from church members as tithes. However, officials were hesitant to release the actual figures of the money stolen from the church. Zaoga finance director Overseer Percy Banda confirmed that there was a spate of unlawful entry and theft at some of the churches’ branches around the country.
He, however, could not give the actual figure of the stolen money, arguing that he had to seek authority from the church lawyer who was handling the matter together with the police. “We have received the report that about eight branches of our church lost money to thieves who broke into the church and stole money safes. I do not have the actual figures of the stolen money at hand as I have been in Karoi on church business. “I will have to first get hold of the church lawyer who will then give me the actual figure and authority to release the actual amount of the stolen money. “I will be able to furnish you with full details on the matter on Monday.
We have reported the matter to the police and our church lawyer is handling the matter together with the police,” he said. Zaoga Gweru branch pastor-in-charge, Evangelist Wilson Mhaka confirmed that the thieves stole $5 884 which had been collected from church members. “The incident occurred sometime last month when a group of about six men broke into the church at night and stole the safe where we keep our money. “They used a scotch cart to transport the safe to a nearby sewage treatment plant near Mkoba Village 9 where they opened the safe and stole $5 884, which was kept in the safe. “The thieves also stole the church’s title deeds and other confidential documents. We managed to recover the safe and the documents which were dumped at the sewage lagoons.
They took away all the money,” he said. Pastor Mhaka said there were reports that the thieves also broke into the Roman Catholic and Methodist Churches in Mkoba where they stole an undisclosed amount of money. Acting Midlands police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende confirmed the theft but could not give further details. “We are aware that there was a case of unlawful entry and theft which occurred at a Zaoga church in Mkoba Village 9. However, we are still to receive full details to the matter from the responsible station,” she said.
