Pastor Arrested Just Hours Before His Wedding at Waterpot Gardens Ceremony
Pastor Learnmore Mutenha was served with a warrant by the police just hours before his scheduled wedding ceremony at Waterpot Gardens. The warrant was issued following claims made by his ex-wife, Janet Badza, regarding unpaid maintenance for their two children, aged nine and 14.
History of Defaulting on Maintenance Payments
Janet Badza stated that Mutenha had been neglecting his financial responsibilities towards their children since January. She further revealed that this was not the first time he had defaulted on maintenance payments and had previously received a warning from the Harare Magistrates’ Court.
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Plea and Temporary Reprieve
Upon being served with the warrant, Pastor pleaded with the police officer, promising to surrender himself at Harare Central Police Station the following day. Surprisingly, the policeman agreed to temporarily hold onto the warrant, allowing the wedding ceremony to proceed as planned.
“Panemudzimai waOverseer wavo anoshandira paKadoma Police Station ndiye azoita kuti asasungwe asati achata,” stated Janet.
Accusations of Irresponsibility
Janet Badza expressed her disappointment in Mutenha’s behavior, describing him as irresponsible and heartless towards their children. She criticized his lack of support and accused him of prioritizing his wedding preparations over fulfilling his parental obligations.
“Pastor Mutenha is very irresponsible and heartless towards his own children, stated Janet. “”It is not his first time to rub shoulders with the police for not supporting his children. He took his time to prepare for a wedding without showing responsibility for his kids.”
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Divorce and Previous Legal Troubles
Mutenha and Janet divorced in 2015, and he has previously faced legal consequences for defaulting on maintenance payments. Last year, he was arrested for the same offense and received a warning from a Harare magistrate.