23 May 2021

Churches have been cautioned to be vigilant lest they become hubs for money laundering and related criminal activities.

The call was made by the Directorate on Economic Crime and Corruption (DCEC), Senior Assistant Director in the North West Region, Mr Opelo Seemule at meeting with Faith Based Organizations representatives in Mun recently

Mr Seemule said that research had indicated that some criminals had a tendency of offering donations, tithes in a bid to clean dirty money.

He said church members were also vulnerable as some pastors were involved in embezzlement of funds. Mr Seemule therefore appealed to the churches to work closely with the DCEC to curb money laundering and related crimes.

He said it was worrisome that most church members were reluctant to help with investigations in instances where pastors were involved in corrupt tendencies.

Mr Seemule also pleaded with organisations that churches were affiliated to have measures in place to deal with deceitful pastors.

Maun DCEC office’s Principal Anti-Corruption Officer Ms Lucy Poonyane-Kolo said the DCEC had registered 34 corruption cases that involved churches between 2003 and 2012 and 17 cases of money laundering and embezzlement of church funds in the same period.

Ms Poonyane-Kolo said some pastors misappropriated church funds by enriching themselves.

She said churches should help address corruption by speaking against it and ensure proper church administration, legal and transparent acquisition of church properties and conduct regular audits.

When commenting, Pastor Baboloki Gatang from Assemblies of God urged pastors to know their members and to help DCEC in the fight against corruption.

Another pastor, Maun Ministers Fraternal Chairperson, Apostle Terrence Sechele said churches in their nature bore the responsibility to transform members and teach them to shun sin.

Apostle Sechele emphasised accounting for church finances in a transparent manner to both the congregation and the society in order to win the fight against corruption. ENDS