Bishop Elly Mogodiri has said he opened the case of organised crime, fraud and misrepresentation, amongst others, against Pastor Alph Lukau, Leader of Alleluia Ministries International (AMI) to deter what he called “false prophets” abusing the church for their own personal gain.
The charges according to a report by African News Agency came up following a video clip that went viral on Monday showing Lukau allegedly raising a man from the dead during a Sunday service.
“I have seen too much pulpit greed and commercialization going on in the church, amongst other disturbing practices. Right now we are witnessing the staged fraudulent and unfaithful act of resurrecting a deceased person in the church of Alleluia Ministries International (AMI) under the leadership of Prophet Alph Lukau.
“I am aware and have been duly advised that this case falls within the ambit of organised crime, fraud and misrepresentation amongst other misdemeanours,” he said in a statement via the Hartbeespoort Community Development Initiative (HCDI).
Non-profit HCDI provides human rights and social cohesion interventions.
The case was opened at the Hartbeespoortdam Police Station near Brits in North West of South Africa
He expressed hope that the decision to sue Lukua will go a long way in separating “myself as a bishop and the spiritual leader of St. Oaks Global Church of Christ, from this continual and unashamed misrepresentation and opportunism.
He warned churches to desist from “brand management decisions because that is not Godly. As the body of Christ, we should be teaching our people to relate directly with God and not with us as bishops, prophets, or pastors,” he said.
Mogodiri said God should be the only priority for churches and that tithing and contributions should be used to support communities instead of acting as a vehicle for “amassing of wealth by the church leaders as is the case prevailing in our country right now”.
Some of the culprits of the stage-managed resurrection have been reportedly arrested. A Nigerian pastor based in South Africa, Charles Anwuzie has been using his facebook to campaign against false prophets. He talked on the scam of Pastor Lukau.
