AFM President in court

APOSTOLIC Faith Mission (AFM) president, Dr Asper Madziyire has once again been dragged to court over an application to compel the church to audit its financial records.

AFM pastors Kefias Mujokeri and Paymore Murefu are demanding an audit whose results should be open for inspection by church members.

Dr Madziyire, together with other church officials Munyaradzi Shumba and Amon Madawo, appeared before High Court Judge Justice Happias Zhou who set aside the ruling for this week.

Messers Mujokeri and Murefu's court application reads:

"It has been 15 years since Madziyire took over as president and since then, no audit has ever been done despite the stipulations of our church constitution which say a detailed financial report should be produced every year.

"Many have since stopped demanding for the audit for fear of victimisation and this is why we resolved to do it the court way."

The AFM constitution chapter 14: 4 (1) provides that an audit must be conducted every year.

In defence, Dr Madziyire said the pastors have no legal right to demand an audit but could only ask for "accountability".

There are allegations that the US$90 000 raised last year for the construction of a church pulpit could not be accounted for. No progress has been made in building the structure.

Pastor Mujokeri told The Sunday Mail Society, "The first time I confronted him (Dr Madziyire), he threatened me and he even hired congregants from my church to turn against me.

However, some congregants realised that they were being used and confessed to me about the plot to remove me from the church."