By A Correspondent- A Roman Catholic Priest Father Thomas Kutwa, who is stationed in St Bernard’s Parish in the Old Pumula district, it never rains but pours.

He is in the middle of another controversy, only a week after a congregant accused him of beating and dressing down a congregant during a church service, accusing him of being behind a rash of thefts that had shaken the church.

This comes after a local family accused him of diverting funds intended for their late father’s burial costs to his personal use.

Bekezela Hadebe, a family spokesperson from Old Pumula, said when their father died in January this year, his funeral coverage with one of the top funeral service providers had expired.

Bekezela stated that they found out after his death.

“Because we didn’t have any money, we had to rely on our South African siblings for assistance.” They couldn’t work because they couldn’t afford to, so they had to run about and contribute what they could.

Father Thomas Kutwa then approached a local funeral home and negotiated a reduction in costs from R11 600 to R9 600. “After that, we gave him the money that had been provided, but it was insufficient,” she explained.

According to Bekezela, they spent a week looking for extra money, and it was at that time that an abroad well-wisher pitched in to help.

A well-wisher who is based in Europe phoned us after he heard that we were in need of money to cover our father’s funeral expenses and he offered to send us R9 600,” she said.

While the well-wisher was preparing to send the money, Father Kutwa phoned him and allegedly told him that he had already paid all the expenses.

“Father Kutwa phoned the well-wisher and told him that he had paid all the funeral expenses and he advised him to send the R9 600 to him as a reimbursement,” she said.

Bekezela added: “That was not true because the money that was used to pay for the funeral expenses was from relatives, community members and churchmates.”

She said the well-wisher repeatedly asked them if indeed Father Thomas Kutwa did not assist them with the money in question and they told him he never did that.

“I told the well-wisher that Father Kutwa never gave us money. I was hoping that he (Father Thomas Kutwa) would come and apologise to us and make a payment plan to return the money he took but he has not done that until today,” she said.

Father Thomas Kutwa declined comment.

“I cannot comment on that. I’m too busy at the moment,” he said. He also didn’t respond to WhatsApp messages sent to him.