THE ongoing fight in the Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) of Africa in Lobengula, Bulawayo, in which a faction is seeking to oust church leader reverend Tony Tshuma took a new twist last Thursday when Western Commonage Court magistrate Tancy Dube recused herself from the case without giving reasons. SILAS NKALA STAFF REPORTER
Dube was due to hear a peace order application brought by five disgruntled church members Claudious Manamela, Nkathazo Svutire, Michael Moyo, Misheck Mupakati and Enock Marume against Tshuma and 40 other members loyal to him.
The hearing on the application should have been heard at the courts last Thursday, but Dube told the two parties that she was no longer prepared to deal with the case for undisclosed reasons.
Tshuma had filed an application at the Bulawayo High Court a day earlier seeking to bar the five applicants from commencing any litigation concerning him without first obtaining leave from a High Court judge.
The squabbling parties then agreed to resume the case on May 29 before a new magistrate.
Manamela and his group are accusing Tshuma (90) and 40 of his loyalists of unleashing violence against those opposed to his continued church leadership.
They accuse Tshuma of fraudulently taking over the reins of the church in 2008 and abusing church funds and allegedly grabbing a church-owned farm in Mangwe, Matabeleland South.
