Online Reporter
H-Metro Reporter
A ZIMBABWEAN pastor, who formed his own church in the United Kingdom after breaking away from the Apostolic Faith Mission, has been found guilty of SEVENTEEN counts related to sexual offences against girls and women.
Walter Chahwanda, 34, of Plemonstall Court in Chester, England, sexually abused these women and girls for a period of four years.
He was cleared on one count of rape, one count of assault by penetration and one count of sending a photograph/film of his private parts.
The Crown Prosecution Services offered no evidence on two counts of blackmail and they were not put to the jury.
He was charged with one count of rape, one count of assault by penetration, five counts of sexual activity with a child, six counts of sending an indecent electronic image and three counts of causing a child to watch a sexual act.
He also faced three counts of sexual communication with a child, two counts of blackmail and one count of sending a picture of his private parts.
He was found guilty on seventeen offences and will be sentenced on March 20.
Chahwanda was an AFM pastor before he left to set up his own church in Liverpool called Sound of Dominion.
“Over a period of around four years, he targeted children and young women across the country that he had met through the Apostolic Faith Mission church, sending them intimate sexual pictures and videos of himself. He also sexually assaulted one child aged 14,” the Crown Prosecution Services said.
“His method was the same in most of the instances.
“He would meet the children or young women through church-related activities across the country and would then add them to his Snapchat or Instagram accounts and continue talking to them online, normally at first.
“But he would start to sexualise the chat, talking about the appearance of the girls and how he liked them.
“Then he would suddenly send them intimate pictures and videos of himself, often performing a sexual act.
“An element of the offending was that he would then goad his victims to reveal what he was doing and tell others in order to ‘expose him.’
“The thought of being caught appeared to be part of his sexual fantasies.
“Chahwanda had a role of authority and trust in the churches and was admired by many. The pictures and videos shocked and confused the victims who had respected Chahwanda.
“Several women did tell others about the pictures and the Church was also made aware, but he refused to stop. His offending escalated as time went on.”
One of his victims reported him to authorities and it opened the door for others to do the same.
“Chawanda was initially arrested in February 2024 and was interviewed again in April 2025 following further enquiries being made by police into additional possible victims,” the Crown Prosecution Services said.
“Under questioning, he denied all of the allegations, although he did admit to having sexualised conversations on one of his social media sites.
“He dismissed this as ‘naughty’ and said he was just indulging in role play in the chats.
“The Crown Prosecution Service originally authorised Merseyside Police to charge him with 22 counts in relation to nine victims.
“He pleaded not guilty to all offences but (on Tuesday, 3 February 2026), he was found guilty on 17 counts by a jury at Liverpool Crown Court.
“He was found not guilty of one count of rape, one count of assault by penetration and one count of sending a photograph/film of his genitals.
“The CPS offered no evidence on two counts of blackmail and they were not put to the jury.
He will be sentenced on 20 March 2026.”
