Online Reporter
Spiwe Sarakunze
Herald Reporter
TIRED of being bashed and tongue-lashed by his daughter, a weary AFM pastor, Eliot Madede, finally dragged Merlisa Madede (28) to court for redress.
Pastor Madede described his daughter’s behaviour before the court.
“She beats me a lot whenever she takes drugs. My daughter always returns home at odd hours, and as a father, I am failing to reprimand her as she ends up slapping me.”
The man of cloth broke down in court, narrating how he raised the child following the death of his wife.
Neighbours, he said, were aware of his distress, noting that he feels like a servant in his own home due to his daughter’s actions.
Pastor Madede recounted instances where Merlisa would bring men into the house, hurl insults at them and blame them for her mother’s death.
The pastor reported that his daughter uses various drugs during the day and engages in destructive behaviour at night, even singing vulgar songs in his presence.
He attributed the change in her behaviour to her employment stint at a boutique, where he believes she was influenced by her friends.
He expressed fear for his safety, claiming Merlisa threatened to hire thugs to harm him if he continued to oppose her actions.
He described a troubling incident where she followed him to church, publicly denouncing him to his congregants.
He pleaded for the court’s assistance, highlighting her lack of respect for him, even wearing revealing clothing around the house.
“At times, I move out to find peace, but when I return, she beats me like a child,” he lamented.
In her defence, Merlisa denied the allegations, claiming her father forces her to attend church, while she prefers to socialise with friends.
“He must treat me like an adult so that I will be able to respect him,” she argued.
She asserted that her father’s demands for her whereabouts lead to conflict and that his actions contribute to the violence.
The court granted Pastor Madede a protection order against his daughter. Presiding Magistrate Ms Meenal Naratom warned Merlisa to cease all forms of abuse towards her father and to respect his property.
She emphasised that as an adult, she was capable of supporting herself without relying on her father.
