A self-proclaimed prophet, Charles Matondo, is facing charges of extortion after allegedly demanding a US$70 000 stand from a woman he claimed was living in a “devil-infested” house.
The trial commenced yesterday at the Harare Magistrates Court, with Matondo, of Grace Faith Ministries, pleading not guilty to the charges.
This is not the first time Matondo has been accused of deception. The Congolese cleric, who once lived in Leeds, United Kingdom, was jailed for 10 months in 2019 for fabricating car crashes in order to claim thousands of pounds from insurance companies. He pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud by misrepresentation and one count of possessing criminal proceeds.
Matondo, who was then a preacher at a Pentecostal church in Leeds, bought insurance policies using the personal details of two individuals from his congregation. He then approached insurers, posing as these individuals, to claim compensation for staged accidents. Police described his actions as “completely immoral.”
The City of London Police’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department launched investigations after First Central raised suspicions about Matondo’s claims.
In April this year, Matondo and his girlfriend, self-styled prophetess, Primrose Miga of Christ Faith Ministries, were arrested on charges of kidnapping a Chinese businessman and demanding a US$120 000 ransom.
They appeared in court alongside eight other individuals, including Guo Zairen, Wango Gao, Tonderai Naison Kaja, Charles Notice, Christopher Chirombe, O’brien Miti, Simbarashe Kumba, Carlington Conselia, and Oswell Tinotenda Tsikai.
However, the charges against Matondo and the other accused were withdrawn in May after the complainant, Cheng Song, submitted an affidavit stating that he was not kidnapped. He claimed the incident was a result of a financial dispute and that he was a third party in the matter.
In the latest extortion case that has landed the man of God in trouble again, the state’s first witness in the current extortion case, Ms Kiliana Bangure, testified that she first encountered Matondo in 2019 when Ms Primrose Miga booked accommodation at her lodge online.
Matondo, who had accompanied Ms Miga, refused to pay for his two security personnel, who were subsequently evicted from the lodge.
Ms Bangure recounted that Matondo expressed interest in renting church offices and, in the company of her husband, she took him to view their house in Glen Lorne, Harare.
Upon entering the house, Matondo declared, “This place is the headquarters of the devil; how were you staying here? I need three months to cleanse this place.”
Overwhelmed by fear, the couple allowed Matondo to use the house without paying rent while he performed his “cleansing ceremonies.” Ms Bangure was barred from visiting the house for the duration of the cleansing, as Matondo warned that the devil and evil spirits would pursue them.
During this period, Ms Bangure testified that a Pastor Maxwell requested them to visit Matondo’s apartment, where they received prayers in a language they did not understand, supposedly because he is a Congolese prophet.
It was during this time that Matondo allegedly demanded the US$70 000 stand, claiming it was necessary for his ministry’s expansion.
Ms Bangure alleged that Matondo threatened to harm her husband and son if she refused to comply with his demands. She claimed that Matondo prophesied that they would die violently if they did not hand over the stand.
