MASERU — A pastor of the Kereke ea Moshoeshoe Church this week asked the High Court to grant him access to the church building after a Berea man barred him from using the church claiming it was built on his grandfather’s land.
Moeketsi Rafutho on Tuesday asked the High Court to order Mashoabathe Phakoa to stop denying him access to the church premises.
The church is situated at Bethany in Berea district.
Rafutho said he was rightfully using the church premises because he was the pastor in charge of the church in Bethany.
He said he was put in charge of the church by Mashoabathe’s grandfather, Malakia, who was the head of the church in Lesotho.
“I am the rightful person to occupy and use the church premises because I was accepted in the priesthood by Malakia.
“The church then posted me at Bethany two years ago as a minister in charge of that church.
“I was surprised later when the respondent (Mashoabathe) closed the gates when I went to the church to execute my duties,” Rafutho said.
Rafutho said Mashoabathe did not have any authority to deny him access to the premises because he does not hold any senior post in the church structures.
He said Mashoabathe is just a congregant.
“He does not have any authority to deny me access into the premises.
“The premises belong to the church not anybody else.
“The site was allocated to the founder of the church, Prophet Walter Matita, by the great chief Leshoboro,” Rafutho said.
But Mashoabathe says the site on which the church is built belongs to him because he inherited it from his grandfather.
Mashoabathe’s grandfather was a bishop in the church and stayed at the church premises before his death.
Mashoabathe also says he is in possession of a “Form C” which is a document claiming that he has a legal acquisition of land in the areas.
The case continues.
