“I was swindled by Miracle Impact Ministries International bishop John Nundwe, 43-yearold Matilda Mwanza of Lusaka’s Foxdale residential area has alleged. Ms Mwanza has vowed to ensure the law takes its course on the 46- year-old bishop, popularly known. Ms Mwanza said bishop Nundwe allegedly swindled her and made her believe that she would be cured of a toothache and have her plot worth K210,000 sold if she gave tithe in advance.

“I was swindled. He asked me to give him K21,000 as tithe for the plot I was yet to sell at K210,000” she said. She said she had put the plot for sale in Chamba Valley but that she was struggling to get serious offers.

Ms Mwanza said bishop Nundwe told her that her failure to sell the plot was spiritual. “He told me that if I paid K21,000 as tithe, my plot would be sold. I was told to pay K21,000 in advance,” she said. Ms Mwanza also admitted having received K58,000 from bishop Nundwe’s lawyer on Sunday, two days after she reported the case to police.
“Yes, he gave me K58,000 at the police yesterday [Sunday]. But I want him to face the wrath of the law for swindling me,” she said.
She also insisted that he must pay back the balance of K12,000.

Ms Mwanza, who is a Seventh-Day-Adventist (SDA) member, has also clarified that she has never been a member of Miracle Impact Ministries International, but was introduced to bishop Nundwe by Paul Kambazo, 56, also popularly known as Pastor Paul Fire. She said in March 2016, on a date unknown, she had a cheque of K70,000 which she was forced to deposit at a named commercial bank.

She said she was made to sleep at the church and withdrew K40,000 three days later at the insistence of Maureen Kakwenda, 35, who is bishop Nundwe’s wife. Ms Mwanza said after giving Ms Kakwenda K40,000, she was admitted to University Teaching Hospital as her toothache worsened.
She said Ms Kakwenda went with her automated teller machine (ATM) card to Kaputa.

“When she returned, I asked for my ATM card, and when I tried to withdraw, there was no money in my account,” she claimed. But on Sunday, bishop General in his church sermon, said he only got K7,000 as tithe and alleged that his fellow bishop from Garden Township, who is jealous of his success, is behind the reported theft at the police.