A Local Court in Mansa has rebuked Salvation Gospel in Christ Ministries Pastor Webster Musonda who was dragged to court by his church member, Robinson Mwape, for compensation on grounds that he tried to kiss his wife.

Local Magistrate Margarete Sakalimba cautioned Pastor Musonda not to take advantage of the weaknesses that his female church members confess when they go to him for counselling.

She said Pastors are trusted by their congregants as leaders who have taken oath not to review to anyone what any church member avails to them during counselling.

The complainant told the Local Court Magistrate, Margarete Sakalimba and Magistrate David Mubanga that his wife, Cassandra Chanda, informed him that the pastor wanted to kiss her after she went to him seeking counseling.

He told the court that he wanted the Pastor to compensate him for wanting to kiss his wife.

Standing as a witness, the complainants wife, Chanda, told the court that on an unknown date around 22:00 hours she took her sick sister to the Pastor’s house for prayers and counseling adding that on their way back he tried to kiss her.

“The pastor told me my young sister was very sick and demanded that she should sleep at his house to be prayed for all night, but when escorting me home he pulled me by my clothes to kiss me”, she said.

And in his defence Musonda told the court that Mwape’s wife was a drunkard who confessed to him that she had a weakness for sleeping around with other men.

He said Chanda would go to him to seek counselling and prayers and during confession, she told him she was pregnant for one of the church elders.

He said whenever Chanda went for counseling she would review to him her drinking habits and how she regrets sleeping around with different men.

And in his ruling Magistrate Mubanga said the Bible teaches people to uphold good morals.

The Magistrate told Pastor Musonda that he was bringing embarrassment to the church of God and that what he did was deliberate.

He said what the pastor told the court as his defence was not relevant to the matter but an embarrassment to the woman and her husband.

“No one can defend you that you were not making advances to the woman and you as a public figure you are not supposed to be making such silly mistakes,” he said.

Magistrate Musonda also cautioned Chanda that a wise woman would not tolerate nonsense from any man who makes advances on her.

Magistrate Sakalimba and Magistrate Mubanga then dismissed the case, saying there was no evidence as it was reported on hearsay by the complainant.