Sex Crimes Preying Pastor

Waisake Tulavu’s five-year-old daughter ran and embraced him, oblivious to what had just transpired inside the High Court in Suva.

For the next 16 years, she will grow up without her father around. There will be no celebration of milestones and birthdays. Just a lot of questions about the sins of her father.

Yesterday, on his way to hear of his fate, Tulavu, 48, looked calm, cool and collected, but with a slight grin. Perhaps he was hopeful that the God he served unselfishly for the most part of his life will be merciful.

But the evidence laid out in court spoke of a man with a warped mind – a man who abused his authority to rape women.

The offences were committed between May 11 to September 15, 2018. But throughout the trial, Tulavu maintained he was innocent. He had pleaded “not guilty” to all charges. He did not seem remorseful either.

Tulavu headed the Agape Healing Ministry based at Cunningham stage 1. The offences took place there. The ministry is a branch of the Assemblies of God (AOG) Church. The AOG Church had suspended Tulavu’s license to preach after the allegations surfaced.

After a week-long trial, Justice Daniel Goundar slapped Tulavu with a 16-year-jail term with a non-parole period of 12 years for rape. Relatives and followers packed the High Court room. They sat through three court mentions before Tulavu’s sentence was read out.

Some of his relatives travelled more than two hours from Nasalia Village, in the interior of Naitasiri, in time for the 9:30am court session. Among them was one of the complainants.

Tulavu’s wife, Vasiti Wairoro, could only watch from outside court. His two sons were not present.

Justice Goundar called Tulavu a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” while passing his sentence.

“The offender was bestowed with the responsibility of a pastor because of his family values and good character,” Justice Goundar said.

“However, he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Instead of upholding the trust and sanctity of his role as a pastor, the offender engaged in a conduct that had shocked the public conscience.”

Tulavu only pointed upwards while making his way out of the courthouse in front of cameras and reporters.

“Au na raica i mataqu, au na rogoca i daligaqu na itukutuku ena solia” (I will see it with my eyes, I will hear it with my ears the message He will give).

Tulavu was in tears as he waved goodbye to his wife, daughter, relatives and followers as he was transported away in a Police carrier.

At the court carpark, relatives encouraged him to be strong.

The Agape Healing Ministry in Cunningham Stage 1, where Waisake Tulavu raped and sexually assaulted three women

Ivamere Nataro

IMPACT ON VICTIMS

During the sentencing hearing on Monday, the three victims told the court they were a laughing stock in their communities.

The first victim said she was mocked by villagers. Her family neglected her and she lost their trust. She informed the court that she had no trust in church leaders anymore and still found it hard to accept what Tulavu had done to her.

The second victim said she had stopped attending church. She informed the court that she was mocked and was a joke among her friends and villagers.

She said people would tell her “come here and I will deliver you”.

The third victim told the court she was also mocked by villagers, youths and her church members.

She also told the court that the incidents were fresh in her mind.

She said she would sit at home and think of what Tulavu had done to her.

A VILLAGE BOY

Tulavu was a simple village boy.

He was born and bred in Nasalia Village, nestled deep in the heart of the interior of Naitasiri, surrounded by mountainous terrain.

Growing up without a father while living in his mother’s village was tough. At the request of his late maternal grandparents, he was adopted by his uncle (mother’s brother) while still a young boy. He became the eldest in the family.

Speaking on the condition of not being named, because of his civil service employment, his brother said they simply saw him as the eldest sibling in the family. There was no discrimination of any sort, he said.

“We looked to him as our elder brother and we address him as the eldest at every family gathering and meeting.”

Tulavu attended Ratu Alipate Primary School in Laselevu Village, Naitasiri. He only reached Year 8. Farming was next before he decided to take up the call to share God’s word.

He grew up in a village where Methodist was the only accepted denomination. At the age of 18, Tulavu became an ardent follower of the AOG Church.

Not many villagers were members of the AOG Church – just Tulavu, his late aunt Laisiana Tevutiko, and a very few others. They would travel for more than an hour from Nasalia Village to attend the Laselevu AOG Church every Sunday.

NASALIA AOG CHURCH

Tulavu wanted to start his own church at his mother’s village. This idea did not sit right with some.

“There came a time that he was beaten up by some villagers and he had to sleep in the drain next to our home. But he never told us anything,” his brother said.

Head of the Naitasiri AOG Church sector, Reverend Maikeli Vurai, served as a church pastor in Naitasiri for about 10 years. He looked after Laselevu AOG Church for three years. He knew Tulavu as a spiritual young man, and someone with good character.

“Tulavu wanted to establish an AOG church in Nasalia Village. I had assisted him and the late Ms Tevutiko by traditionally asking for a piece of land from my uncle to build the church,” Reverend Vurai said.

Nasalia AOG Church now sits on Waisusu – a family land, with a number of families attending the church. Tulavu took on the role of leading the congregation at Nasalia.

Under the recommendation of the late Reverend Poate Qara, he later attended the Harvest Vernacular Bible School at Calvary Temple in Samabula. After his graduation, he pastored the Nasalia AOG Church congregation before moving to Suva.

FAMILY

Tulavu married Ms Wairoro, from Waibasaga in Naitasiri. They’ve been married for more than 20 years. They have three children – two boys, aged 21 and 17, and a girl Projectin pre-school.

Ms Wairoro said her husband was a faithful servant of God.

“He is faithful in his work, serving in parts of Fiji, in the Western Division, Central Division, and his own village,” she said.

“He is a kind soul and has always looked after people and is always sharing food with those who need it.”

Ms Wairoro said her husband attended Bible school for five years rather than the usual four years, because he had taken a break from school.

She is now the sole breadwinner. Whatever she makes from her sales in the market, helps financially support her family.

What’s left of Waisake Tulavu’s former home at Nasalia Village in Naitasiri.

Ivamere Nataro

FAMILY REACTION

Tulavu’s family never thought that he would be accused of rape. His brother said his family members were shocked, because they knew him as a good man.

The sick were healed and barren women conceived when Tulavu prayed over them, his brother said.

He never violated any village by-laws.

“He never had any adventurous youth days – taking alcohol, cigarettes and yaqona were not in his list.

“He took part in ceremonial events in the village, but he never drank any grog. He has done so much for our clan and the village.”

For Ms Wairoro, the only option to get over her pain is not to listen to the news. Her family has stopped listening to the radio, television, social media and reading the newspapers, because of people’s reactions.

“I am his wife, I am really hurt, hearing and reading from the media about what my husband is accused of,” an emotional Ms Wairoro said.

“Those women (victims) were not members of the church, and they needed help, someone to heal and pray over them.

“This is the work of the devil, manifesting through these women, to bring my husband down.”

She said their family members would call to tell them about media reports.

“It’s really sad.”

Her family still believes Pastor Tulavu is innocent.

“We haven’t lost hope and we are fasting as a family, because we know only the truth will prevail. We still hold our cell prayer group, and those who know my husband well haven’t lost hope.

“Even when we visit him at the remand centre, the prison officers would say that he has been praying over people inside the cell.”

AGAPE HEALING MINISTRY

Tulavu began the healing ministry when he and his family moved from the village to Samabula North.

With his followers believe were God-given gifts of vision and healing, he began serving families in Samabula and informal settlements like Jittu Estate, his wife said.

Tulavu was also acquainted with the Jesus Dispensary Church (JDC), a branch of the AOG Church, in Valelevu.

Current senior pastor Reverend Uliano Kataiwai said Tulavu came to the church seeking assistance at the time.

Reverend Kataiwai was tasked by the then senior pastor to oversee the work carried out by Tulavu.

The JDC had assisted him in “church planting” for two years – particularly in terms of church protocols and pastoral skills.

His followers at Jittu were baptised at JDC. Tulavu later left the JDC to begin his ministry. He was hopeful that he would maintain his followers, Reverend Kataiwai said.

Reverend Kataiwai then helped negotiate a piece of land at Cunningham Stage 1. JDC gave $2000 for the land and building materials.

Sitting on a slope at Cunningham Stage 1 is the Agape Healing Ministry. First, it was just a home, but the house was later extended to cater for the growing number of people who visited.

Now a partition separates the lean-too house – the place of worship from the family’s living room.

Ms Wairoro said most times, people would occupy the whole house and a tent was also set up outside to provide shelter.

About 80 to 100 people attend the Sunday service.

Every day, people would come to ask for healing and prayers from Tulavu, his wife said.

“He gets $130 every week from the offerings of members. He uses that money to feed those who come and stay over at home, the hungry and homeless around the Suva market and the bean cart,” Ms Wairoro said.

Waisake Tulavu outside court.

Ronald Kumar

AOG CHURCH REGISTRATION

Agape Healing Ministry was registered under the AOG Church umbrella in 2015. It falls under the Lower Naitasiri sub-sector in the Central Division.

To be registered as a branch of the church, the requirements included: a pastor has to have a land, a church constitution that correlates with the AOG Church, and to be a graduate from Harvest Bible School.

Those who study at the Bible school are recommended by their senior pastors after careful review of their character. They study the Bible and pastoral conduct. A Bible school graduate has the choice of the type of ministry they wish to serve.

“We do not teach them to touch a woman when praying over them. It is wise that their wives are with them so that they also know what’s going on,” a source at the school, who did not wish to be named, said.

A senior reverend of the AOG in the Central Division said the Agape Healing Ministry was a sovereign assembly that looked after its own affairs.

“Pastoral reviews are conducted through meetings, conferences, senior pastors’ forum, and series of lectures to encourage pastors,” the reverend said.

AOG Church general secretary, Reverend Filikesa Koroivueta said review of pastors’ conduct was done every year through the renewal of credentials process.

“Supervision is done through the district and divisional level as well to monitor any behavioural deviations,” he said.

AGAPE HEALING MINISTRY RITUAL

A rather alarming ritual carried out by Tulavu’s ministry was the sacrifice of a pig and dalo after Tulavu prayed over a family.

According to his former followers, it was a ritual they found “frightening”.

The reverend labelled Pastor Tulavu’s actions as “extreme” and “satanic worship”.

“Nowhere in the Bible did it state that pigs were used for offerings. It is usually lambs, because they are humble animals and are clean.”