A PRIVATE conversation over blood on a condom, which then leaked onto a church WhatsApp group, torched a trail of events which led to one of the leaders at the United Methodist Church committing suicide on Friday.
The unfortunate incident has cast a giant shadow over the church.
In the audios, which leaked, Harare East District leader, Reverend Oscar Mukahanana, is heard talking to his lover about some blood on the condom.
He asks his lover if she has started her monthly menstrual period but she says her cycle was set to start the following day.
He is said to have bought a Kambucha drink, mixed it with rat poison and consumed it at a lodge in Harare.
This followed the leaking of a conversation he had with a congregant, only identified as Wadzanai, after the two had sex.
Reverend Mukahanana, a respected married father, was considered one of the main pillars of the church.
“He was a very respected man and a pillar of the church,” said a source.
“It’s hard to believe that he was involved in such activities and this has come as a shock to everyone.”
The District Superintendent on Friday surrendered church vehicle, booked a room at a lodge, wrote a suicidal note and took his life as he struggled to deal with the fallout and humiliation triggered by the revelations of his act to bed a church woman.
Reverend Mukahanana booked a room at a lodge in Eastlea where his body was found.
There was a suicide note by the side.
Harare provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Luckmore Chakanza, confirmed the case saying body of Supt Mukahanana was collected by police and they were waiting for a post-mortem.
“Police are investigating a suspected suicide case involving a clergy man,” said Insp Chakanza.
“A plastic bottle of a soft drink mixed with rat poison was found by the body side at a lodge in Eastlea,” said Insp Chakanza.
Sources close to church administration told H-Metro no formal report was lodged against Reverend Mukahanana.
“Reverend Mukahanana pressed a recorder on his mobile phone unknowingly while caressing Wadzanai and the audio found its way to a church WhatsApp group thereby exposing their shenanigans.
“Ndinofunga kuti zvivi kana zvarema sezvinotaura Bible, zvinobereka rufu.
“How the love conversations leaked to a church WhatsApp group remains a mystery.
“Reverend Mukahanana was used to teaching against adultery and was particularly strong in telling the youths to abstain from fornication.
“Zvino kana goridhe rakuita ngura, simbi dzichaita zvekudii?” said a church member.
In his suicidal note, Reverend Mukahanana apologised to his wife, family and the church.
He urged his wife to look after the children and thanked the church for supporting him.
state media
