Bishop’s feud with grandfather over church control in Venda ends in assault case

The United African Apostolic Church (UAAC)’s Archbishop Itani Mureri, 49, who is at loggerheads with his grandfather, Archbishop David Mureri, over the control of the church, was arrested and charged with the assault of security officer at the church’s headquarters in Ha-Mavhunga last weekend, reports Review Online.

Mureri appeared in the Dzanani Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 1 June. He was released on warning and his case was postponed to 29 June.

Police Spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo confirmed that Mureri was arrested and charged with assault.

Two factions have emerged in the church after the death of the leader of the UAAC, Archbishop Elias Mureri, in December 2018. After David was ordained as the archbishop of the church, Itani’s backers were not satisfied with the decision and the church split into two groups – one led by David and the other by Itani.

The UAAC is one of the country’s largest churches, but the battle for the headquarters has turned it into a war zone. The group led by Itani filed for a court order in the Thohoyandou High Court early in January to be allowed to operate their church services at the headquarters.

In the court order, Judge Justice NF Kgomo had issued an interim order for both factions, with the arrangement that both can use the premises for services. Time slots were allocated for both groups – one service in the morning and the other in the afternoon – and the order stipulated that no one should be denied access or use of the premises.

Both groups were also advised to hire their own security while they wait for the case to be heard in the high court.

Now, the groups want to use the same premises at the church headquarters in the same time slot.

Spokesperson for the Mureri family, Obed Mureri, said David was the son of the founder of the church, the late Bishop Matsea Paul Mureri.

“David had inherited the church from his late father who died in 1975.”

Before the founder of the church died in 1967, he called all his children and senior church members and told them that in case of his death, David must take over, but his brother Elias took over by force, he alleged.

“No person appointed the new archbishop, as it was the responsibility of the family. The family appointed David as the leader of the church.”

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