ROCK Foundation Tabernacle founder, Bishop Nathan Tafadzwa Gwenyaya, last week ended up in police custody facing contempt of court charges after failing to pay $11 000 as maintenance for his child.
The married bishop was, however, released after he paid the full amount before being taken to court.
The man of cloth was recently under fire for cheating on his wife and impregnating a congregant, Lince Siiwa.
Bishop Gwenyaya allegedly tried to terminate Lince’s pregnancy on four different occasions without success.
The married father of three who stays in Penhalonga with his family founded Rock Foundation Tabernacle in 2018.
Lince was recently in the news after dragging Bishop Gwenyaya to court demanding $25 000 monthly maintenance for the upkeep of their child.
However, the parties had an out of court settlement of $11 000 monthly maintenance.
Mrs Netsai Nyamwanza represented Lince, while Mr Stephen Chikamhi represented Bishop Gwenyaya.
Mutare magistrate, Mr Lazarus Musendo, endorsed the $11 000 maintenance when the parties later appeared before him.
In a recent interview with The Weekender, Lince said upon realising that he had impregnated her, Bishop Gwenyaya engaged and paid some people to facilitate the termination of her pregnancy on four different occasions.
Lince said she almost died during one of the abortion attempts.
Upon realising that his mission to abort the pregnancy had failed, Bishop Gwenyaya is alleged to have ordered Lince to lie to her family that she had been raped by unknown assailants.
“He engaged his colleague to abort the pregnancy, but failed.
“After a week, he sent the guy again and I almost died. It happened on four different occasions.
‘‘On the last attempt, the hired guy brought another person whom he said was an expert, but nothing worked.
“I had to tell my two elder sisters about my ordeal,” said Lince.
She said when she delivered her baby, her elder sisters forced Bishop Gwenyaya to meet the hospital bills.
However, the man of cloth allegedly stopped communicating with Lince and her family.
Speaking through his lawyer, Mr Chikamhi, Bishop Gwenyaya said he was never informed of Lince’s pregnancy.
“My client was never told that Lince had his child.
“They never approached him to contribute towards the upkeep of the child. They rushed to court and the media.
“He got to know of this baby’s existence through court summons,” said Mr Chikamhi.