Pastor suspended for molesting 17-year-old girl

The United Church of Christ in Zimbabwe (UCCZ) has suspended the pastor of Chikanga Assembly in Mutare for harassing a 17-year-old girl from his church whom he allegedly invited to his home and for swimming.

The suspension will be for six months without pay.

Efforts to obtain a statement from Reverend Liberty Maadza were futile, but Chipinge Times is in possession of a letter from UCCZ President Reverend John Matiza dated 15 May 2024, effecting the suspension.

Matiza confirmed the case but declined to comment further, saying it was a spiritual matter.

Efforts to obtain comment from Maadza were unsuccessful.

After seeing a swimming status on the girl’s phone, Maadza allegedly sent a WhatsApp message asking the girl if she knew how to swim and suggested that they go swimming one day.

“What about your wife… you should take your wife there, not me,” the girl replied in a WhatsApp message.

Maadza is also said to have persistently urged the girl to come to him.

Chipinge Times has information from reliable sources that Maadza has since moved out of the church house but still attends church in Chikanga. However, some church members complained that the six months imposed on Maadza was too lenient considering that former President Ephraim Ngadziore suspended other priests for two years in similar cases.

“This is not a case that we will publish in the newspaper. We have dealt with the case in the spiritual life of the church and such cases are not brought to the press,” Matiza said.

“This letter is to inform you that Rev. Liberty Maadza has been suspended from his spiritual duties without pay for a period of six months, effective May 1, 2024, to October 31, 2024. He has been asked to vacate the church building with immediate effect and is not permitted to perform any pastoral duties during the period of his suspension.

“In the meantime, Assistant Pastor Joshua Mapaure of the North-Eastern Conference will assume charge of the Chikanga Church for the duration of Pastor Maadza’s suspension,” the suspension letter states.