AFTER being set free in a rape charge, United End of Times Church pastor George Phiri told journalists that he was a three year relationship with the woman who accused her of rape and his wife knew about the affairs.
Pastor Phiri, who has earlier told a magistrate that an 18-year-old girl who accused him of raping her at a lodge had actually rolled a condom on him before the two had sex, was yesterday acquitted of the rape charge.
After the acquittal, the pastor, flanked by his followers, admitted having consensual sex with the complainant and that he was in a relationship with her and that his wife was allegedly aware about it.
Asked why he disobeyed the biblical teaching requiring a man to only have one wife, the cleric said “reasons at home” can prompt a man to take a second wife.
During trial, the court heard that the accused allegedly raped the victim on August 15, 2022.
Pastor Phiri met the victim at church after she complained of stomach problems and ‘eating’ in her sleep.
The victim is said to have been handed over to the pastor by her father so that he could cure her severe stomach pain believed to be a spiritual attack which caused her to stop going to school.
The pastor allegedly told the victim that he would be praying for her but also offered to sponsor her to school.
It is alleged that in the process, Phiri took the victim to an unknown lodge, had sex with her as part of spiritual cleansing.
Evidence is that during the alleged act, the accused smeared white powder on the victim’s private part and sprinkled some water on her body claiming that she had a spiritual husband that needed to be exorcised while in her naked state in bed.
Magistrate Idah Phiri later found the accused with a case to answer and placed him on his defence.
In his defence, the pastor refused having forced himself on the young woman but that they had consensual sex at a lodge.
He said the victim asked that the two should book into a lodge, which they did and had protected sex.
“I wanted to wear a condom then she held me by my right hand. She asked where I had seen a man wearing a condom on his own. She took the condom, dressed it on me, that’s how had sex with her,” said Phiri.
He said the woman was just upset that he never bought her the phone she requested for.
In her judgement, magistrate Phiri found that the victim was not coerced into having sex with the accused.
“The maid at the lodge said she saw the victim coming out holding hands with accused. If the accused used force, the victim could have screamed”.
Magistrate Idah Phiri said in her judgement yesterday that the prosecution failed to prove the case beyond all reasonable doubt against George Phiri, a pastor at United End of Times Church.
“While he admitted having had carnal knowledge of the victim, I am not satisfied that there was not with consent,” the magistrate said before setting the cleric at liberty.
(Mwebantu, Friday, 18th August, 2023)
