Online Reporter
Zvikomborero Parafini
SEVENTH Day Adventist Evangelist Sam Marufu has challenged three female church mates, who are accusing him of cyber bullying, to prove that he is the one who posted the claims on Facebook.
Prosecutors also want police to prove that the evangelist is the one who really owns the Facebook page where the contentious claims were posted.
The evangelist was dragged to court by Rotina Mafume Musara, Alasia Mbiriri and Perseverance Muzeya, who are accusing him of making damaging remarks about them, on social media.
The three women are all SDA church members.
Evangelist Marufu, who is being represented by Harare lawyer Admire Rubaya, walked out of the Harare Magistrates Court a free man yesterday because the case could not be heard by a magistrate.
Several contentious issues were raised, which stalled the start of the court case.
Prosecutors declined to take the matter into court and referred it back to the police for further investigations.
The police now want a report from Facebook owners, Meta, confirming that the account, which carried the contentious claims, really belongs to Evangelist Marufu.
Prosecutors also want a report confirming that Evangelist Marufu was the one who posted the offending statements.
The police now have a task to investigate further and obtain the reports.
Evangelist Marufu was arrested on allegations of cyberbullying after he posted a video of three female church mates on social media.
He was arrested after the three women filed complaints claiming he had abused their video, and images, to gain online “likes.”
The women said they recorded a video of themselves preparing to preach.
They claimed that the video was later shared on Evangelist Marufu’s social media page, along with a caption, in which he was mocking them.
The caption read:
“When shepherds have become wolves you, (the) pastor’s wife, your husband has been exposed… for a woman is the glory of man. Muchavaziva nezvibereko zvavo.”
The post attracted a number of negative comments.
One of the women said she responded by urging other members of the church to take action against what she believed was an attack on their characters.
The three women then filed a police report at Marlborough Police Station on Saturday, under RRB 6875200.
Harare provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Luckmore Chakanza, confirmed the case.
“Police are investigating a cyberbullying case involving a local church leader against his fellow church mates.
“His cellphone, which he used, is now in the hands of police as investigations continue,” he said.
