Zion church leaders Masuka, Mutendi are 'liars'

High Court judge Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo last week castigated the Zion Christian church leaders, Archbishops Makuva Mutendi and Tafirenyika Masuka, for "lying" under oath in court while giving evidence in a church leadership wrangle that had threatened to tear apart the Zion Apostolic Church.

Mutendi is the Archbishop of Zion Christian Church, while Masuka is Archbishop under the Zion Apostolic Church which was at the centre of the leadership tussle.

The two bishops had been invited to give evidence in a leadership dispute matter pitting the two sons of the late Bishop Dorius Shoko, who was the leader of Zion Apostolic Church, on the question of who between the two late Bishop's sons, Jameson and Ezra Pedzisai, should be recognised as the legitimate successor.

After the passing-on of their father, Jameson took the church to court arguing he was the legitimate heir to succeed his late father in accordance with the church's 1949 covenant.

In her 10-paged judgement, while granting leadership to Ezra, Justice Matanda-Moyo said: "I was mostly disappointed by the conduct of Bishop Mutendi and Bishop Masuka. Society looks up to these two senior Archbishops. For the Bishops not to take court business seriously is a tragedy."