Little did they know that the generous contributions will be misappropriated by the pastor and his relatives.
Though Chijena who managed to turn Christ Embassy into a crowd puller
of note is said to have pocketed P2.7 million that members contributed
to build a church at a plot near Game City, where a college is
currently located.
Saddened church members say the man they fondly called Pastor Andy
established and administered a building fund around 2005 or 2006. The
money was meant to build the headquarters of the church but this never
happened.
Pastor Andy told the church members that he had found a plot near Game
City and the owners, the Roman Catholic Church through their estate
agent were allegedly selling it for P4 million. The landowners were
allegedly asking for a down payment of P1.5 million. Pastor Andy told
the members that they needed to contribute funds to raise the P1.5
million and the faithful raised around P2.7 million.
Some church members sold their houses and cars to contribute to the
project. Others were asked to take loans and to pledge their life
savings. Information at the church shows that a member, Robert Lunda
gave away three houses in Tsabong, valued at P400,000 and P700,000
house in Block 9 Gaborone. However, Lunda denied knowledge of the Block
9 house when the Monitor interviewed him on Friday.
He no longer goes to Christ Embassy Church. Sources say he quit when he
realised that his Block 9 house was transferred to Pastor Andy’s
Zimbabwean cousin. Lunda confirmed that he is no longer a Christ
Embassy member but refused to say why he quit the church. The Block 9
house is currently occupied by the deported pastor’s wife.
An elderly couple, gave away their car and retirement house in Block 8
to the church. The house valued at around P600,000 was sold and the
proceeds used to buy a white Mercedes Benz C Class worth P200,000 for
the pastor’s close relative. The rest of the money was used to open a
hair saloon for the pastor’s wife in Extension 2, African Mall. After
realising the money was used for other purposes, the elderly couple got
frustrated and left the church.
Another member, who later became a pastor gave her house in Block 3 to
the church. The P800,000 got from selling the house was squandered by
the pastor. Over P200,000 in cash contributions was the only money
accounted for and deposited in the church coffers.
Church elders say the current pastor – Andy’s wife – Felicity is just
like the husband. The money from other church branches are transferred
to her personal bank account no 1020573 at Barclays Bank Industrial
Branch in Gaborone.
Monitor Turned Away
Not for the first time, the glamorous woman pastor at the Christ
Embassy Church, Pastor Felly refused to answer phone calls from the
Monitor on Saturday evening. Her cell phone kept on ringing but was
never picked. Despite attempts to send her SMS messages twice on
Saturday evening, Pastor Felly did not respond to the Monitor.
After our countless phone calls were ignored, the Monitor team on
Sunday morning rushed to pastor Filly’s church at Block 8, before the
start of the 9am Sunday session.
Her talk -of -the- town P700 000 black Jeep was parked outside the
church premises, but church bouncers dressed in suits and stylish
sunglasses would not let the Monitor team in.
They claimed she could not be seen, without even trying to check if the pastor would entertain the Monitor team or not.
It is not the first time that the Monitor team has hit against a brick
wall in trying to interview pastor Felly. In August when her
controversial husband was deported, the Monitor made attempts to
interview her but it was not easy, as certain church elders who
promised to fix the interview never honoured their word.
Although Pastor Felly could not grant us the interview the Monitor
established that the Sunday service was a special one called
Thanks-giving, when church members are encouraged to thank God for
having seen them through the year, by making special monetary offerings
to the church.
Interestingly the "Thanks-giving service" coincides right with month end when pockets of church elders are still bulging.
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