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UCKG temples close again and will be handed over to the direction “legitimized by the Angolan State”

The temples of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) in Angola, whose reopening was announced on Tuesday, have been closed again and will be handed over to the direction “legitimized by the Angolan Government”, according to the National Institute for Religious Affairs.

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The UCKG Angola (of Brazilian origin, led by Alberto Segunda) announced the reopening of its temples last Tuesday, two years later, referring that it was the result of a decision by the Luanda District Court.

In a statement, the UCKG stated that the college of judges of the 4th Section of Common Crimes of the Court of the District of Luanda determined the "unblocking of the movable and immovable assets of the UCKG in Angola".

In statements this Saturday to the TPA public station, Ambrósio Micolo, deputy director-general of the National Institute for Religious Affairs (INAR), an entity that is also the trustee of the temples that were seized by order of the Attorney General's Office (PGR), confirmed that the court decided to return the property that was under foreclosure to the church.

"But it is necessary for the court to notify INAR so that it is authorized to make the delivery and can authorize the reopening of the temples", he said, adding that "the seals were placed", so "the faithful of the Universal Church violated the presupposition cool".

"This is a very serious violation. (...) What will happen is that the PGR has put the seals back on and is waiting for the court's notification", he said.

Ambrósio Micolo stressed that at the moment "there are no longer any wings, there is a direction of the Universal Church", and it is "this direction legitimized by the Angolan State that will receive the temples that will be delivered by INAR, this is the one that has the legitimacy to reopen and exercise their activities".

The same official added that as soon as the court notifies the INAR, it will make the necessary communication to the PGR to proceed with the delivery of the temples, stressing that "legality will be restored".

The direction of the IURD recognized by INAR is headed by Bishop Valente Bizerra Luís, who coordinated the reform commission that came into conflict with the Brazilian leadership of the UCKG in 2019.

Both wings, the one of Brazilian origin, now led by the Angolan Alberto Segunda and the dissident wing, from Angola, led by Bizerra Luís, claim to be the legitimate representatives of the church founded by Edir Macedo.

Valente Bizerra Luís condemned the reopening of the temples of the UCKG by leaders of the Brazilian wing, considering that "it is illegal", as this direction is not recognized.

For the dissidents, the reopening of the Maculusso and Alvalade temples (the main places of worship in Luanda) violates the PGR's decision, as only INAR has the legitimacy to decide.

Bizerra Luís told TPA that the wing he leads was recognized as the legitimate representative of the UCKG by former minister Jomo Fortunato [however replaced by Filipe Zau].

"Last year, the former Minister of Culture made it very clear who was the legitimate leadership of the church. What you are seeing are citizens, foreigners, who do not respect the Angolan State", he underlined.

"If a simple citizen goes to that temple, removes the seals, and makes use of that property, it is an invasion, that direction is no longer a legitimate direction", reinforced Bizerra Luís.

Lusa has tried to hear Bishop Alberto Segunda, without success so far.

The UCKG in Angola has faced internal disputes since 2019, when Angolan bishops and pastors accused Brazilian managers of various crimes, namely money laundering, foreign exchange evasion, vasectomy obligation, as well as racism.

Brazilians accuse Angolan bishops and pastors, who have left the church, of acts of xenophobia and aggression, following the forcible seizure of temples across the country.

The Angolan justice opened a lawsuit, closed the temples and invited Brazilian missionaries to leave Angolan territory.

As part of the trial, on 31 March the Luanda court sentenced the former head of the UCKG in Angola to three years in prison, with a suspended sentence, for the crime of physical and psychological violence, while the remaining defendants were acquitted.

Former leader Honorilton Gonçalves, currently in Brazil, and three other co-defendants - Angolan bishop António Ferraz, Brazilian pastor Fernandes Teixeira and Angolan pastor Belo Kifua - were accused of various crimes, including criminal association, money laundering and domestic violence, in a trial that began on 18 November 2021.

Honorilton Gonçalves was convicted of crimes of physical and psychological violence, with the sentence suspended for two years, and he will have to pay compensation of 30 and 15 million kwanzas to two victims who underwent a vasectomy.

The defendants were acquitted of the remaining crimes: criminal association, money laundering, fraud for fraud and illicit expatriation of capital, a crime that the court dropped as it was a transgression that is the responsibility of the National Bank of Angola.

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