Times Of Swaziland: CHURCH SUSPENDS PASTOR  ACCUSED OF BEING BISEXUAL

CHURCH SUSPENDS PASTOR  ACCUSED OF BEING BISEXUAL
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 BY KHULEKANI NENE on 04/03/2019 02:10:00


SIPHOFANENI – A married pastor at a church in Siphofaneni has been suspended
for allegedly being bisexual.
The man of God was put on ice by church elders after they got hold of a leaked
audio recording wherein a voice, purported to be that of the pastor, is
overheard proposing love to another man.
“Ngiyakutsandza. Kantsi kutsandza umuntfu kulicala yini? (I love you. Is it a
crime to love someone),” the voice, purported to be that of the pastor, is
overheard saying in the leaked audio.
In the audio recording, the voice was reportedly proposing love to a young man
from another church around Siphofaneni.
It is believed that it was the young man who shared the recording with his
church leaders, who then confronted the leadership of the church where the
pastor was ministering. The churches are known to this publication but will not
be named for ethical reasons.
Subsequently, elders of the church suspended the pastor from all church
activities, including ministering the Word of God.
“The decision of the council of elders was that he (pastor) was welcome to
attend Sunday services but he would sit in the gallery as an ordinary member,”
said the chairman of the church.
He said elders were shocked by the audio recording, specifically the raunchy
remarks where the voice believed to be that of the pastor was inviting the young
man to his house.
The chairman revealed that it was not the first time the man of God had been
accused of being bisexual.
He said sometime last year, there were rumours around the community, alleging
that the pastor was gay.
“Such rumours even reached the ears of traditional authorities in the area. At
some point, I remember the church committee being summoned to the royal kraal to
answer questions on the allegations,” said the chairman. He said, at the time,
they strongly defended their pastor as there was no evidence to suggest that he
could be bisexual.
However, he said following the leaked audio recording, church members believed
that there was credence to the rumours that the man of God could be bisexual.
Elders
Meanwhile, after the pastor was suspended, he did attend services but sat at the
public gallery, church elders said.
However, last week, he allegedly locked the church, forcing members to conduct
the Sunday service under a tree.
According to some church members, by allegedly locking the church, the man of
God was protesting against his suspension.
“We are worshiping under a tree because keys to the church are with him
(pastor). He claims that the church belongs to him yet the structure was
constructed by members of the community,” said a church member.