HARARE- An Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) Church pastor, Titus Murefu, aged 59, and his wife, Winnet, appeared before Harare regional magistrate Clever Tsikwa on Thursday, charged with defrauding a school operator of US$158,000 in a rent-to-buy property deal. The couple was remanded out of custody until July 22, 2025.

The complainant, the chief executive of Destiny Achievers School at Plot 15 Glen Forest, Harare, alleges that in 2020, an employee informed her that Lot 12 Glen Forest was suitable for expanding her private school. She approached Murefu and his wife, who allegedly misrepresented themselves as the property owners. Based on this, she agreed to occupy the premises, paying US$1,500 monthly in rent from January to December 2021.

In January 2022, the couple reportedly proposed a rent-to-buy arrangement, increasing the monthly payment to US$2,000. By January 2023, the rent rose to US$3,950, which the complainant paid until September 2023. When she pressed for a formal rent-to-buy agreement, the accused allegedly became evasive. Subsequent investigations revealed that Murefu and his wife did not own the land, prompting her to report the matter to the police.

This is not the first fraud allegation against the couple. In 2022, they faced charges of defrauding a musician and Tec-Aluminium director, Tafadzwa Patience Chiminya, of US$80,000 in a failed farming venture. They were accused of misrepresenting ownership of a farm at Glen Forest Plot 12, leading to the formation of a company, Titus Murefu Projects, with Chiminya as a director holding a 37% share. That case was also heard in Harare, with the couple remanded out of custody.

The AFM in Zimbabwe has faced prior controversies, including leadership disputes and allegations of financial mismanagement. In 2018, pastors Kefias Mujokeri and Paymore Murefu, a relative of Titus, unsuccessfully sought a court order to compel an audit of the church’s accounts, citing concerns over embezzlement.