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UK-based Zimbabwe pastor convicted of sexual offences
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A United Kingdom-based gospel singer and pastor has been convicted of multiple sexual offences against children and young women.
Walter Chahwanda, 34, of Plemonstall Court in Chester, was found guilty of 17 offences at Liverpool Crown Court on 3 February 2026. The charges included sexual assault and sending explicit images and videos to victims he met through church activities.
Chahwanda, formerly a pastor in the Apostolic Faith Mission before founding his own church in Liverpool called Sound of Dominion, targeted victims over a four-year period. He used social media platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram to initiate conversations that quickly became sexualised.
Prosecutors revealed that Chahwanda would send intimate images and videos of himself performing sexual acts, often pressuring victims to acknowledge or share what he was doing. His behaviour escalated over time, despite complaints being raised within the church community.
One victim, a 14-year-old child, was sexually assaulted. The father of another victim reported Chahwanda's actions to the NSPCC, prompting further police investigations.
Chahwanda was arrested in February 2024 and interviewed again in April 2025 after additional victims came forward. He denied the allegations, claiming his online conversations were "naughty role play."
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) initially charged him with 22 counts relating to nine victims. He was acquitted of one count of rape, one count of assault by penetration, and one count of sending a sexual image. Two blackmail charges were dropped.
Aaron Smith, a lawyer with the CPS Mersey Cheshire Rape and Serious Sexual Offences unit, said:
"Walter Chahwanda used his position as a respected Pastor to abuse a 14-year-old child and cause distress to multiple young women and children. He had no regard for their wellbeing or vulnerability and was solely focused on his own sexual gratification."
Smith praised the courage of the victims and witnesses, noting that their testimony was crucial in securing the conviction.
Chahwanda will be sentenced on 20 March 2026.
Walter Chahwanda, 34, of Plemonstall Court in Chester, was found guilty of 17 offences at Liverpool Crown Court on 3 February 2026. The charges included sexual assault and sending explicit images and videos to victims he met through church activities.
Chahwanda, formerly a pastor in the Apostolic Faith Mission before founding his own church in Liverpool called Sound of Dominion, targeted victims over a four-year period. He used social media platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram to initiate conversations that quickly became sexualised.
Prosecutors revealed that Chahwanda would send intimate images and videos of himself performing sexual acts, often pressuring victims to acknowledge or share what he was doing. His behaviour escalated over time, despite complaints being raised within the church community.
One victim, a 14-year-old child, was sexually assaulted. The father of another victim reported Chahwanda's actions to the NSPCC, prompting further police investigations.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) initially charged him with 22 counts relating to nine victims. He was acquitted of one count of rape, one count of assault by penetration, and one count of sending a sexual image. Two blackmail charges were dropped.
Aaron Smith, a lawyer with the CPS Mersey Cheshire Rape and Serious Sexual Offences unit, said:
"Walter Chahwanda used his position as a respected Pastor to abuse a 14-year-old child and cause distress to multiple young women and children. He had no regard for their wellbeing or vulnerability and was solely focused on his own sexual gratification."
Smith praised the courage of the victims and witnesses, noting that their testimony was crucial in securing the conviction.
Chahwanda will be sentenced on 20 March 2026.
Source - Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) News
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