PENTECOSTAL Assemblies of Zimbabwe Bishop Trevor Manhanga has sensationally dismissed allegations that the late Bishop Berry Dambaza had committed suicide out of fear after allegedly embezzling church funds.
Speaking at the funeral service held yesterday at the Jubilee Christian Center in Harare, Bishop Manhanga vindicated the now deceased bishop, describing him as a man of integrity and faithful member of PAOZ.
“I was saddened by social media reports that I see it best to take legal action or lay hands on them to recover because they are sick people for publishing malicious reports.
“Berry Dambaza was not a thief and the money reported to be on his suicide note is not church money but his personal money.
“We are still to receive all the reports surrounding his death and after that, we will issue a statement.
“We never expected our minister to depart in such a way and I would like to apologise to his family members, PAOZ members and to the body of Christ.
“If his death has left you with scratches, we are sorry and this has never happened in the history of PAOZ for the past 17 years of its existence.
“We have more questions than answers concerning his death and if there are some individuals among PAOZ members who may come up with divergent theological dispositions, he was not God so as I am not God.
“So do not come to us to ask what Bishop Dambaza was thinking. No, we are not God.
“According to police investigations no foul play occurred and according to post-mortem results he died from the wounds sustained from falling down,” said Bishop Manhanga.
Bishop Berry Dambaza died on Monday afternoon after jumping from the fourth floor to the ground at Julius Nyerere Way Packade.
Police are still investigating the 59-year-old cleric’s death as a possible suicide after a note was found in his pockets, where Dambaza apologised for fraud.
Although the suicide note mentioned the misuse of funds as the reason for suicide, many theories were awash with some alleging that he had recently discovered about his wife’s infidelity and others claiming that Dambaza had received bad news, that his mother who was admitted at the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals was only left with 24 hours to live.
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