Pastor's shady dealings laid bare Pastor Moussongela Marcelino Pedro of the Mennonite Church was yesterday at pains to explain a number of inconsistent statements he had made during his bail hearing on charges of rape, abortion and human trafficking.Pedro, who was cross-examined by prosecutor Dollen Gowases, changed his version of the story he told the court on Monday.
At the beginning of the week, Pedro told the Ondangwa Magistrate''s Court that he was a 55-year-old man and that he had entered the country in 1991 with his late wife for a visit.
However, yesterday he said he was 56 years old and that he entered Namibia with a woman friend, Linda Nangolo-Nakashololo. “When I first entered Namibia, I came through the Oshikango border post as a Mennonite church missionary accompanied by my friend Linda Nangolo-Nakashololo, whom I later married in 2000 after her husband passed on,” he said.
“We first settled at old Ongwediva. I had to tell immigration officers that I was coming as a visitor because that was the only way they could allow me to enter.”
Earlier in the week, Pedro had told the court that he had married his current wife – a Namibian citizen - Ndamonongheda Penehafo Pedro in 1994.
He claimed on Monday that they have been living in Eembidi in the Ondobe Consistency of Ohangwena Region.
Gowases put it to Pedro that documents he had signed when he applied for permanent resident status indicated that he first entered Namibia in 1989, 1990, 1991 and 2000.
“Which one must we believe? There is also evidence that you ever entered with late Nakashololo. You first met Nakashololo in 2000 after her husband died. She was your church member and you started visiting her at her house and workplace giving her counselling until you married her,” Gowases said.
“Shortly after getting married, Nakashololo resigned from her job in the Ministry of Justice. You sent her to Canada under the impression that she was going to study theology. When she arrived in Canada she realised there was no truth in the whole issue and her passport was confiscated by the authorities. You also sent her children out of the country.”
Pedro denied the State''s version, asking the prosecutor to provide proof. Pedro told the court that he has seven children, but refused to say anything on their whereabouts since he has a pending case concerning them in the Ohangwena Region.
Gowases argued that Pedro brought three children from Angola and provided them with Namibian birth certificates. The birth certificates indicated that he had fathered them with Namibian women, Gowases told the court.
Pedro admitted that he sent five of his children to London with a foreigner without their mothers'' consent. He also confirmed that these children were found in the street and were placed in foster care.
Pedro''s cross-examination will continue from 12 to 14 December. Before that he will first appear in the Katutura Magistrate''s Court on 29 and 30 November on similar charges.
ILENI NANDJATO