Wife claims court ordered clergyman to pay over money owed for five years

André Williams, STAR Writer

A clergyman, according to his estranged wife, has been ordered by the court to fork up close to $1 million in maintenance and child support dating back to 2009.

Information reaching THE STAR is that the pastor was previously before the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate Court on an assault matter arising from a fight between his wife and the general secretary of his church, when the family court warrant was executed by the Denham Town police.

a warrant

According to the estranged wife, "We have been having a long-standing issue with maintenance. As he stepped out the RM Court he was arrested by the Denham Town police and we attended the Family court the following day."

THE STAR was told that during the sitting in the family court, the magistrate ordered the bishop to pay $45,000.

The Family Court confirmed that a warrant was served on the pastor and he was in fact brought there. However, they could not confirm the ruling.

The wife continued: "That was for the month of October, November and December of 2009 and the judge told him that the money was not for the child but for me to do whatever I wanted," said the estranged wife.

THE STAR understands that the bishop is being asked to make retro payments for the years 2010 to 2014 at $15,000 monthly.

When contacted, the bishop told our news team he was unaware of such payments and sought to shed some light on the issue.

five years

He said, "I don't know of that, I was locked up two weeks ago, I paid $45,000 and I understand that she collected the money. My son lives with me nine months out of the year and for when he is not around me, I send money for him ... even the other day for back to school. I have hundreds of people who can attest that I support my child ..."

The Bishop continued, "She is just doing some things to mash me up and my church ... I understand that she took out another summons for me to be locked up for the five years because she claims I have not supported the child. I went and filed a divorce and she called me and said she was happy and that she is drinking champagne, so I am expecting anything from her."

THE STAR contacted the Family Court in Kingston, and a representative who spoke on condition of anonymity said, "A summons was executed and he was in fact brought before the courts ... as for the exact details of the ruling, checks would have to be made."