The US$3 000 fraud case against a United Family International Church (UFIC) pastor was yesterday withdrawn before plea at the State’s insistence.
UFIC was founded and is led by Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa (pictured).
Pastor Donald Morgan Tendai Savanhu (39) appeared before Harare Magistrates Dennis Mangosi on a charge of allegedly defrauding his 72-year-old cousin.
The court heard that sometime in 2020, the cousin raised some money with the intention of buying a car. She approached Savanhu, who was then pastoring in Beitbridge, to buy a car for her.
Savanhu told her that US$3 000 was sufficient to buy the vehicle and pay import duty.
He promised to deliver the vehicle within 21 days.
In September 2020, Savanhu told his cousin that he had managed to purchase a Toyota Aqua and was working on importing it.
Savanhu is alleged to have taken two unknown men to his cousin’s house and introduced them as clearing agents who wanted to verify her residential address and identification particulars.
Savanhu kept giving his cousin empty promises until she realised that she had been duped, and reported the matter to the police.
H Metro
