Bishop expelled for theft

The Universal Church of Jesus Christ (UCJC) in the Township of Johnsonville, Montserrado County, has expelled its Bishop, Jenkins T. B. Slogba for allegedly selling the church’s properties. Making the disclosure to journalists on 31 October, the head of the interim leadership of the UCJC Pastor Moses Gonpa Slewion accused the expelled Bishop of unilaterally selling over 10 acres of the church’s land located in Marshall City to a businessman.

Pastor Slewion also alleges that Bishop Slogba allegedly changed the deed of a parcel of properties owned by the church along the Monrovia-Kakata Highway, and sold it to a Nigerian businessman for the purpose of constructing stores and houses. Having allegedly ran the church single handedly for over eight years, Bishop Slogba is accused by Pastor Slewion of further deciding to defraud the church of its legitimate properties that it acquired under the same period that the accused served the church.

The presiding head of the church adds that the decision of Bishop Slogba prompted the church to constitute a five-man inquiry committee to establish whether the Bishop did not also tamper with the Church’s remaining properties located in Montserrado County.

The church’s investigative findings is said to have uncovered that the expelled Bishop had allegedly embezzled over US$45,600.00 intended to erect a primary school aimed at helping children of the church’s members that are struggling elsewhere to acquire education.

Pastor Slewion discloses that based on the findings of the established committee, the board of elders of the church called for the immediate expulsion of the Bishop, confiscation of other properties of the entity in the possession of the accused and also ensuring restitution.

When contacted, the expelled Bishop said a“handful of members” are on a smear campaign to dethrone his leadership after he suspended some senior officials of the church for mismanagement of the resources.

He challenges his accusers to prove their allegations with documentary evidences in any court in the country, noting that he is prepared to appear to defend his reputation built over the past years as a minister of the Gospel.

By Emmanuel Mondaye–Edited by Winston W. Parley