Harare – May 13, 2025
By A Correspondent | ZimEye | A long-time former follower of Apostle Talent Chiwenga has issued a blistering public statement challenging the controversial preacher’s moral authority and questioning the integrity of his leadership over Jesus Revelation Ministries (JRM).
The man, who identifies himself on Facebook as Inno Ngwaru, released a counterattack in response to a three-hour-long sermon by Chiwenga targeting ex-pastor Edmore Marange. Ngwaru’s statement, raw and emotionally charged, not only defends Marange but delivers explosive allegations against Chiwenga—ranging from sexual misconduct and financial impropriety to manipulation, spiritual abuse, and hypocrisy.
“You Slept With Trifine, You Bought a House With Church Money”
Ngwaru accuses Chiwenga of abandoning the teachings he once upheld in favour of autocracy and personal indulgence. Among the most damning accusations, Ngwaru claims that the preacher had sexual relationships with multiple women in his inner circle, including a young woman named Trifine, whom he allegedly brought to South Africa.
“You slept with a young woman called Trifine, who you brought to South Africa… someone helps you and then you sleep with their daughter,” Ngwaru states. “The question is, is this right?”
He further alleges that Chiwenga misused church funds to acquire a personal residence. “Church money—you converted it to purchase a house for yourself,” Ngwaru declares, adding that dissenting voices within the church are either silenced or expelled.
“The Death of Rejoice Was an Opportunity”
In a deeply personal recollection, Ngwaru reflects on Chiwenga’s late wife, Rejoice Chiwenga, suggesting that her death marked a turning point in the preacher’s conduct and behaviour. He also implicates Chiwenga in a long-standing history of toxic relationships and personal betrayal, citing numerous personal encounters and testimonies from individuals close to the church.
He accuses Chiwenga of moral double standards: “When Chiwenga says a man must behave in this way, it is not the way he behaves… I was so involved in these things. In the formative stages I contributed big time.”
Ngwaru also alleges that Chiwenga was warned by one Baloyi, a now-deceased church associate, about repeated sexual misconduct—specifically sleeping with another man’s wife in Dubai.
“He Can Send People to Kill Me Today”
The former member accuses Chiwenga of bullying dissenters and building a fear-driven structure around his ministry. “He can send people to kill me today, but the important thing is these are the issues,” Ngwaru says. “People who are around you are not even happy.”
He claims many insiders are aware of the misconduct but remain silent due to fear or loyalty, stating: “There is no one who is holy… People are sitting on the fence right now. WhatsApp groups being shut down whenever they are opened.”
Ngwaru also questions Chiwenga’s treatment of other critics: “You said Nelson is a mad person. Now people watching you end up asking… if this is how you treat everyone who disagrees.”
Dismissal of Edmore Marange Revisited
The public fallout comes a year after Chiwenga dismissed his longtime aide, Edmore Marange, citing “strange conduct” and “personal endeavours” inconsistent with Christian leadership.
In “Public Notice 1 of 2024,” JRM formally excommunicated Marange. At the time, the church accused him of straying from “sound doctrine,” but critics said the expulsion coincided with growing unrest in the church over Chiwenga’s radical teachings and mounting scandals.
Ngwaru refutes the narrative that Marange was incompetent or unfaithful, asserting: “Those in the know they know—Marange could not preach? Marange preached. You sent him to Rustenberg and Gomba.”
Pattern of Allegations and Doctrinal Drift
Chiwenga has previously drawn backlash for his controversial teachings—such as advocating for polygamy and extramarital threesomes under the guise of biblical interpretation.
He once argued that a woman who fails to produce a male child should not object if her husband seeks another wife: “A woman who hasn’t borne a son owes her husband,” he said in one sermon.
Ngwaru says these sermons mark a complete departure from the moral code Chiwenga once enforced. “The gospel has changed,” he laments. “We were made to desert certain behaviours, now we have gone back to them.”
“This Fight is Deep”
In closing, Ngwaru declares that his statement was not motivated by bitterness but by a need for accountability: “I never wanted to be your enemy… What I am asking is just answer these things.”
He warns that this is only the beginning of a protracted reckoning: “This fight is going to be a bruising one. When I started these LIVES I did it knowing the consequences.”
Fallout
The new revelations threaten to further erode the already fragile credibility of Apostle Chiwenga and Jesus Revelation Ministries. While Chiwenga is expected to respond, likely with the release of alleged incriminating audio files as Ngwaru predicts, the internal unrest in the church appears to be escalating.
“This isn’t about one man anymore,” a former congregant told ZimEye. “It’s about a movement that’s losing its soul.”
As more voices emerge from within JRM, it remains to be seen whether Chiwenga can maintain control—or if his once-celebrated ministry will implode under the weight of scandal, dissent, and spiritual disillusionment.