A Zimbabwean church leader is in soup for being in several romantic relationships with congregants.

According to B–Metro, Nhlanhla Ndlovu was reportedly chucked out of Gospel Life Assembles for allegedly having multiple sexual affairs with congregants at the church and failing to repent despite being chastised by leadership.

A reliable source who spoke to the publication revealed that on different occasions female youths at the church thronged church leaders seeking to report the sexual abuse. The source went on to say Nhlanhla was summoned for a hearing by the church leadership which is led by Pastor Lovemore Nyoni.

‘They told him that a number of female youths in the church had approached the pastorate complaining that Nhlanhla sexually used them and dumped them. They showed him the evidence and he apologised. He was admonished and given a chance to reform but he failed to change for the better.

‘This forced the church leadership to excommunicate him so as to save the church from a bad reputation,’ said the source.

However, the accused shot down the allegations claiming that the matter was over a marriage partner.

‘The problem started when I introduced a lady I wanted to marry to the pastor. Surprisingly the pastor shot down my choice saying she was not mature in the things of the Lord. After that my lady and her parents deserted the church. The pastor accused me of failing to convince her not to leave the church,’ he said.

‘On the second issue after several months, I introduced another lady I wanted to marry. Shockingly again they turned my request down saying she did not have breasts and she was young while the lady in question had completed her Advanced Level.  Moreover when I was away on duty in Kadoma, I heard from some church members that the pastor warned all female youths to never come to my office. After that I got shocked to learn that the pastor told youths in their WhatsApp group that he excommunicated me. But the truth of the matter is I left on my own and I was never excommunicated. Also it’s not true that I had sexual affairs with the female youths at our church.’

‘It is not true that he was prevented from marrying a lady of his choice. The church or pastor has no legal authority to force anyone to marry or not to marry. The ex-communication was in response to a string of sexual abuse or sexual immorality that he committed at our church. As leadership we have a responsibility to protect girls from all forms of abuse. This is part of our non-negotiable biblical principle.’

Nhlanhla said in one of his communications with the church leadership, which the tabloid publication has in its possession:

‘I hope somehow I will get over all my mistakes. Thank you for your patience on me, you sacrificed a lot for me and I failed you.’