South Africa’s Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Cultural,
Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission) has
threatened a jail term for Chris Oyakhilome if his church, Christ
Embassy, fails to release its financial records.
Several controversial religious leaders could also face prison if they do not adhere to the demands of the Commission.
Commission
head Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva told News24 she had already asked the
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to advise on their next legal
course of action.
“We are forced to take the legal route because
some of them are not complying and we cannot be held [to] ransom by a
few,” she told News24.
The Commission is investigating the
commercialisation of religion and the abuse of people’s beliefs. It has
summoned several religious organisations to appear before them.
All
those summoned to the hearings were required to produce their
ordination certificate, the church registration certificate, bank
statements and the annual financial statements dating from 2012.
Mkhwanazi-Xaluva
said they were also looking at possibly filing charges of intimidation
against some of the religious leaders who have threatened the commission
publicly.
“Some of these religious leaders will face prison if
they do not comply and we have been clear about our course of action.
Some religious leaders have also threatened the commission, which is
leading us toward the legal route. Saps have been notified already,” she
said.
She said she could not understand why some pastors who took
money from their followers were now unable to provide the commission
with financial records.
“These people take money from people. What are they doing with that money? We want to know. We will not back down,” she said.
Mkhwanazi-Xaluva
said Christ Embassies Pastor Chris Oyakhilome had indicated that he
would fight the commission in court before he released his records.
“If
he intends on that route, we are ready. He will have to face the same
fate as the others who refuse to hand over their financial records,” she
said.
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