âThug masquerading as a man of Godâ
Angel was born and raised in a Christian family in Zimbabwe.
His journey to preaching goes back to 1996 when he established a small group that conducted its affairs at his home, which later grew into a church known as the Spirit Embassy in 2007. The self-styled prophet is not apologetic about his sermons, based on how his congregants can become rich.
He has authored several books on how to make money and he has a theology institution that charges for its services and he takes offerings, hosts conventions and sells different faith products online.
Today, based in the UK, Angel presents himself as a powerful âman of Godâ who owns satellite-broadcasting channels, Miracle TV, GoodNews TV and Wow TV, which air his church services.
He once clashed with Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor Gideon Gono who accused him of money laundering after he performed whatâs known as âmiracle moneyâ, whereby he produces money and other valuables like diamonds and gold.
Angel lives a lavish life with luxury cars, private jets and expensive homes. He was accused of money laundering and fraud by a former member of his church in 2014.
His other scandals include sexual misconduct allegations from one of his female congregants.
Zimbabwean elite society is a complex web of high political, economic â both legal and illegal â interactions and mutual dependencies, says a professor of World Politics at the University of Londonâs School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), Stephen Chan.
âThe foundation of multiple Christian churches that do not exactly preach Jesusâs message of poverty gives all of this a fig leaf of riches and power being a donation from God. Angel is simply one example of this syndrome of interaction where politics, economy and worship have all become corrupt,â he says. âJesus did say that it is easier for a camel to enter a needleâs eye than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Rich angels too, no doubt.â
âAngel represents a breed of thugs that hide behind the church whilst making money through illegal means,â says Nhachi.
âIf you look at the top 10 richest people in Africa, it is dominated by people in the church business. So you wonder whether such wealth is from congregants or there is an illegal side hustle as was shown by Angel and Pattini,â he adds.
âAngel is untouchableâ
In April, the government froze the financial assets and bank accounts of individuals implicated in the documentary including Angel, Pattni and Simon Rudland to pave the way for investigations.
By May, the government had reversed its move saying investigations had stopped as there was no wrongdoing.
Parliament Speaker Jacob Mudenda also blocked legislators from conducting their own independent investigations. After pressure from civil society groups in the UK, authorities in London opened an investigation.
Many well-connected people in Zimbabwe were implicated in the documentary and are close to Mnangagwa, Chan says. âTo punish one without punishing all the others would be selective. To punish all would be to cause huge tensions in Zimbabwean high society,â he says.
âAngel does not represent the best of Zimbabwe, nor imbue a sense of trust,â says Piers Pigou, a Southern Africa Programme head at the Institute for Security Studies in South Africa.
âHe and his sidekicks reinforce perceptions that criminal enterprise is thriving under [Mnangagwaâs administration],â he adds. That has been the case with Zimbabweâs ruling party Zanu PF that those with serious criminal activities are not brought to book, Nhachi says.
âI feel Angel knows too much. His appointment was not beneficial to the country but to certain individuals,â he says, adding: âThe fact that Angel is based in the UK makes him more dangerous if they try to bring him down.â
Speaking at a press conference in Harare in April, Angelâs lawyer Lovemore Madhuku denied the allegations.
âMy client wants it to be put right across on record that he has never ever done anything on behalf of the President, no deal on behalf of the President, no activities on behalf of the President,â he said.
âMy client wants to make it clear that he has no relationship whatsoever with members of the Presidentâs family. He only has a relationship with the President. He actually has never met the First Lady.â
Madhuku added that Angel had never been involved in any criminal activities.
âMore particularly, he would like it to be stated that he has not been involved in any form of gold dealing or gold smuggling nor has he ever engaged in money laundering. The insinuations in the Al Jazeera documentary are wholly baseless.â
