A twisted pastor in Scotland – known as “Daddy” to his congregants – told a female parishioner he sexually assaulted that he was “removing demons” from her body to justify the sick act, a jury heard.
Walter Masocha, 61, repeatedly groped the 58-year-old married woman – who had come to him for prayer – inside his Stirling home about 20 years ago, claiming that God had “given her to him as a gift” and ordered her to kiss his “holy lips,” The Times reported.
The predatory preacher was found guilty of attempted rape and sexually assaulting the wedded victim and another woman following a trial at the High Court in Livingston.
“She was looking for prayer and she found herself being preyed upon,” advocate depute Michael MacIntosh told the Edinburgh court.
“Walter Masocha wasn’t just a pastor and a preacher, he was a predator who thought that his power and position rendered him immune from suspicion.”
The other woman, 39, told the court the depraved clergyman sexually assaulted her for more than six years – from January 2006 to July 2012 – starting when she was just 20.
She said Masocha attacked her for the first time in his ritzy mansion when he grabbed her face and shoved his tongue into her mouth. The sinister preacher, during their second encounter, slapped the youngster on the bum as she walked up stairs, the woman recounted to the court.
The married Zimbabwean national said the abuse escalated when Masocha – considered a father figure in church and often called “dad” or “daddy” – took her to his bedroom and tried to rape her.
“Next thing I remember is he pushed me forward and pulled my trousers and pants down,” the woman recalled, explaining how she initially froze before she managed to break free and run away.
“I was on the front of the bed where I was standing.”
The woman’s husband eventually confronted the vile preacher, who fell to the ground and begged the couple to pray for him, saying, “I’m sorry, I loved you too much.”
Masocha, who founded his own church in Scotland in 2007 and set up ministries across the UK, the United States and Canada, defended himself during the trial and accused both women of lying, in addition to two other witnesses who testified, according to the outlet.
He was convicted of attempted rape, two counts of indecent assault and sexual assault.
“This was appalling behavior,” Justice Susan Craig told the sicko churchman, noting he will remain on the sex offender registry for the rest of his life.
“It’s completely clear to me that this will result in a custodial sentence. While you’ve been bailed until now I’m going to revoke that bail immediately and the officers there will take you into prison for remand.”
Masocha, who was previously convicted in 2015 of sexually assaulting a female congregate, will remain behind bars until he is sentenced on July 28.
