The Herald

Disgraced ‘Prophet’ avoids jail despite sex assault guilt

Church founder Masocha groped members but sheriff grants leniency due to his ‘fall from grace’

- TIM BUGLER

A FORMER university lecturer who founded his own church and sexually molested members of his congregati­on has been ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work after a sheriff said he had “already suffered a spectacula­r fall from grace”.

Walter Masocha, who called himself The Prophet and The Archbishop at the Stirling-based Agape For All Nations Ministries Internatio­nal Church, was made subject to a community payback order with the condition he performs 250 hours of unpaid work.

The ex-Stirling University accountanc­y lecturer was placed on supervisio­n and the Sex Offenders’ Register for 12 months.

Masocha, 51, was convicted in April at Falkirk Sheriff Court of putting one of his hands down the trousers of a schoolgirl, saying he was trying to remove demons. The court heard yesterday he was assessed by social workers as at moderate risk of re-offending.

Masocha, who also groped a young deaconess while he was supposed to be praying for a problem she had with her stomach, was told by Sheriff Kenneth McGowan that his conduct must have left his victims “hurt and bewildered”.

But he added: “The evidence was that you touched each of the complainer­s inappropri­ately on several occasions. At the time they were both members of a church of which you were leader.

“You held a position of trust which you abused, and a further aggravatin­g factor in relation to one of the victims is her relatively young age.

“Dealing with the question of harm, the complainer­s must have been left hurt and bewildered by your conduct, at the time it happened and thereafter.”

Sheriff McGowan said that the law required courts only to impose custodial sentences when no other disposal was appropriat­e.

He said: “There are many cases where the gravity of the offences are such that a custodial sentence is inevitable. Without in any way seeking to downplay the severity of the offences in this case, my view is that this is not the position here. The criminal justice social work report has assessed you as suitable for a community-based disposal, and in addition you have already suffered a spectacula­r fall from grace.”

Masocha was otherwise of good character, the court heard, and he had gained respect for his charity and other work.

Masocha, in a hand-made suit with velvet collar, stood head bowed in the dock at Falkirk Sheriff Court. His wife Judith, who was styled The Prophetess in church, sat expression­less in the public gallery as he was sentenced.

Masocha had been found guilty of sexually assaulting the deaconess and sexually touching the schoolgirl at his £500,000 seven-bedroom mansion, Cosyneuk House, near Stirling, where the Zimbabwe-born churchman received a steady stream of followers.

During the trial, the schoolgirl, now 16, said she regarded Masocha as her “spiritual father”, and like many people in the church called him “Dad”.

She said in late 2013 she was with other girls in an upstairs games room when Masocha came in and waved her over.

His trial had heard how the victim broke into tears because she thought she had been bad without realising. Masocha said he would pray to remove the “demons” and left the room.

In another incident, when she was 13 or 14 , she said Masocha had been sitting down at his home, very close to her, advising her about school.

The court heard he suddenly said, “You’ll always be mine,” and kissed her on the lips.

She said at the time she was happy, because members of the church had been taught that anything they received from Masocha was a blessing from God, but now she felt disgusted.

The deaconess said Masocha had hugged her “intimately”, caressing her back and kissing her round the neck, and saying “receive my love”. She said she could feel his penis against her body.

John Scullion, QC, for Masocha, told the court he was no longer actively participat­ing in the church, adding that members of the congregati­on were “no longer welcomed” at Cosyneuk House, which had reverted to the role of a family home.

Masocha left court without commenting.

‘‘ The evidence was that you touched each of the complainer­s inappropri­ately on several occasions

that people continue to make links with this tragedy for which we have offered support to the father.”

The spokesman confirmed the disgraced pastor would not be cast out.

He said: “We do not operate a formal membership system but he has not been excommunic­ated from the church.

“He offered his resignatio­n, which was accepted.”

The victims received no support from the church, which said: “The victims raised their concerns directly with the police and not with the church leadership.

“They had left the church prior to reporting their concerns.”

 ??  ?? WALTER MASOCHA: Religious leader avoided custodial sentence despite molesting members of his church.
WALTER MASOCHA: Religious leader avoided custodial sentence despite molesting members of his church.
 ??  ?? MINISTRY: Stirling base of Agape For All Nations Church.
MINISTRY: Stirling base of Agape For All Nations Church.

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