SCOTLAND – Walter Masocha, a 61-year-old Zimbabwean church leader and former University of Stirling professor, was sentenced to an extended term of 14 years on July 28, 2025, after being convicted of rape and sexual assault.
The sentence, handed down by Judge Craig at the High Court in Livingston, comprises a 10-year custodial term followed by a four-year extension period of supervision in the community upon his release.
Masocha, who founded the Agape for All Nations Church in Scotland in 2007, was found guilty of four charges. These included the attempted rape of one woman and the sexual assault of three others.
Judge Craig’s sentencing remarks highlighted the “grossest breach of trust” committed by Masocha, noting that two of the victims regarded him as a father figure, while another was a parishioner seeking spiritual guidance.
“You were found guilty of a total of four charges. Three involved someone who regarded you as their father figure and one a parishioner who had come to you for spiritual help.
“You sexually abused both of them in what can only be described as the grossest breach of trust on your part,” the judge stated.
The court heard that Masocha exploited the deep faith his victims placed in him, with some literally believing him to be a prophet capable of working miracles.
Judge Craig stated: “You told your victims they had been given to you by God, that your hands and lips were holy and they were blessed to have been touched by you.
“It was that belief that gave you access but you took sexual advantage of them in whatever way and whenever you felt like doing so.”
Evidence presented during the trial indicated a pattern of “cynical opportunistic assaults.”
The judge noted that the jury’s verdict confirmed Masocha’s involvement in a “course of criminal sexual abuse of multiple parishioners over several years.”
Regarding the attempted rape, Judge Craig stated that the act was not completed due to physical inability, rather than a realisation of the gravity of his actions.
Masocha maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, alleging a conspiracy against him and coerced witnesses, claims for which no support was found in the evidence.
A social worker’s report indicated that Masocha takes no responsibility for his offenses, shows no empathy for his victims, and entirely blames them. He has been assessed as being at medium risk of reoffending sexually and continued to preach while on remand.
The custodial portion of the sentence includes six years for the attempted rape charge and a cumulative four years for the other three charges, to be served consecutively.
Judge Craig also imposed non-harassment orders for an indefinite period, prohibiting Masocha from contacting or attempting to contact either victim directly or indirectly.
Masocha will, additionally, be subject to indefinite notification requirements applicable to sex offenders and his name will be added to lists of persons deemed unsuitable to work with vulnerable groups.
This conviction follows previous sexual assault charges against Masocha in 2015, which were overturned on appeal due to a misdirection at the original trial. However, new proceedings were initiated after further women reported their experiences to the police.
Advocate depute Michael McIntosh described Masocha as “a predator who thought that his power and position rendered him immune from suspicion.”
The judge stated that the extensive sentence reflects the serious nature of the offenses and the need to protect the public from the risk Masocha poses. The sentence has been backdated to July 2, 2025, the date of his remand.
