(Last Updated on January 22, 2016 by Editor)
ZIMBABWE – Followers of Pastor Tinashe Ndove, 32, are protesting against the marriage between him and Betty Chawapiwa Gutsa, 27, stating he is already married to Sarah Mapurisa.
Pastor Ndove and Betty are colleagues at a local teacher’s college and they tied the knot in December last year under Chapter 5.11.
Their marriage certificate is registered under number 367/2015 and officiated by magistrate Lazurus Murendo of Chitungwiza magistrates’ court.
“We have known pastor Ndove for some time now and Sarah Mapurisa is his wife that we know.
“We were shocked to hear he had a secret wedding with one Betty Chawapiwa Butsa.
“What is disturbing about this whole matter is that Pastor Sarah is carrying his child and we never thought he would abandon her in this condition.
“We want the marriage to be deregistered because what he did was unlawful, he was supposed to settle issues first with pastor Sarah,” said one of the congregants.
Some congregants alleged that the pastor was blackmailed into marrying Betty due to some illegal dealings he was involved in.
“Before he got employment, the congregation used to sympathise with him after he lied about how he was treated by his former church.
“We started contributing food and clothes to his family and that is how we began to know his legitimate wife not this girlfriend, it is very unfair and his wife is pregnant as we speak.
“We heard that Betty forced pastor Ndove into the marriage after she threatened to expose his illegal deals at the college where he works,” claimed one of the congregants.
Contacted for comment, pastor Ndove confirmed marrying Betty.
“The people who told you about the issue are not my followers but my enemies, I got married to Betty and nothing can change it.
“I cannot tell you whether Sarah is pregnant with my child or not, those people who told you about the matter should furnish you with more light,” he said.
Sarah revealed to H-Metro that she was still officially married to Pastor Ndove.
“I don’t know why he entered into marriage of Chapter 5.11 with another woman when he is still my husband.
“We never divorced and recently he has been coming home but we never divorced, the matter is still being handled by our relatives now,” she said.