The Methodist pastor whose intimate bedroom conversation was leaked into a church WhatsApp group was not even under investigation when he tragically took his own life.

The leaked audio conversation, which contained explicit details about a condom with blood, set off a chain of events that led to the suicide of Reverend Oscar Mukahanana, the leader of the Harare East District within the United Methodist Church.

The leaked recordings featured Reverend Mukahanana engaging in a private conversation with his lover, discussing the presence of blood on a condom. He inquired about her menstrual cycle, which was set to begin the following day.

In response to the leaked conversation, Reverend Mukahanana purchased a Kambucha drink, mixed it with rat poison, and consumed it at a lodge in Harare. This tragic act followed the exposure of his intimate conversation with a church congregant identified only as Wadzanai, after they had engaged in a sexual relationship.

Reverend Mukahanana, a highly respected and married father, had been considered a key figure in the church. The revelation of his involvement in these activities has left the church community in shock.

A source within the church expressed their disbelief, stating, “He was a very respected man and a pillar of the church. It’s hard to believe that he was involved in such activities, and this has come as a shock to everyone.”

On the day of the tragic incident, Reverend Mukahanana surrendered the church vehicle, booked a room at a lodge, wrote a suicide note, and took his own life as he grappled with the fallout and humiliation resulting from the leaked audio and his involvement with a church member.

His lifeless body was discovered in a room at a lodge in Eastlea, accompanied by a suicide note. Harare provincial police spokesperson Inspector Luckmore Chakanza confirmed the case as a suspected suicide and reported the discovery of a plastic bottle containing a soft drink mixed with rat poison at the scene.

Crucially, it has been disclosed that there were no formal reports or investigations against Reverend Mukahanana at the time of his death. The leak of the intimate audio, a recording inadvertently made while caressing Wadzanai, remains a mystery in terms of how it found its way to a church WhatsApp group.

Reverend Mukahanana, known for his teachings against adultery and his strong emphasis on encouraging youth to abstain from fornication, left a poignant suicidal note. In the note, he apologized to his wife, family, and the church, urging his wife to care for their children and expressing gratitude to the church for its support. This tragic incident has cast a dark shadow over the church community, leaving many searching for answers and grappling with the loss of a respected leader.- State Media/H Metro/ Additional