A clergyman from the Fountain Apostolic Church of Zambia has received a 10-year prison sentence with hard labor from the Livingstone High Court in Mazabuka for the death of a 20-year-old congregant, Onil Moya.
Derrick Singani faced manslaughter charges under Section 199 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of Zambian Law.
The details of the case are that on July 22, 2023, in Monze District, Singani, along with Wilson Moya, caused the death of Moya.
The evidence presented in court revealed that on that date, Singani and the deceased were at Filiot Dam for a worship ceremony, during which Singani was supposed to baptize Moya.
Unfortunately, the deceased drowned during the baptism, and it was later determined that Singani lacked the legal authority to perform the baptism.
Singani claimed he had the authority to baptize, referencing a Bible verse from Matthew 28:19, which instructs followers to go out into the world to teach and baptize believers, noting that he had already been baptized himself.
However, Livingstone High Court Judge Lombe Phiri stated that his defense did not address the charges he faced, and ordered police to investigate whether the church operates in compliance with the law.
