Mawkhar Presbyterian Church. Photo: Carey W. Syiemlieh
SHILLONG: A faction of the Mawkhar Presbyterian Church (MPC) aligned with the Khasi Jaintia Presbyterian (KJP) Synod Sepngi has challenged recent statements made by Rev. Macdonald Pyngrope regarding the church’s alleged financial irregularities and internal dispute.
According to a report published by The Shillong Times, the faction accused Pyngrope of creating the impression that he alone exposed the alleged disappearance of church funds while also questioning his continued use of the title “pastor” after the Synod reportedly withdrew his ordination.The group further argued that the current split within the church was linked not only to the financial controversy but also to disagreements surrounding a bond agreement introduced by the Synod for pastors and church employees.
The faction argued that public discussions in recent weeks have wrongly created the perception that Pyngrope alone exposed the alleged disappearance of church funds.
“The impression being created is that only one individual stood for transparency while everyone else remained silent. That is not the full picture,” the statement noted.
The group further questioned the role of auditors responsible for approving church accounts during the years when the alleged financial discrepancies surfaced.It named several auditors who handled church accounts between 2013 and 2019 and alleged that many of them are presently associated with the camp supporting Pyngrope.
According to the faction, the current standoff inside the church did not originate from the alleged financial scandal itself, but from a disagreement over a mandatory undertaking introduced by the KJP Synod Sepngi for pastors and church workers. The undertaking, approved during a Synod session in 2021, reportedly bars pastors from engaging in political activities and requires them to remain fully committed to church responsibilities unless official approval is granted.
The group claimed Pyngrope declined to accept the terms of the undertaking, ultimately leading to his removal from pastoral responsibilities and deepening divisions inside the church.It maintained that one section of the congregation continues to function under the authority of the KJP Synod Sepngi, while another faction aligned with Pyngrope now operates independently.
Addressing the criminal complaint linked to the missing church funds, the faction insisted the police case was initiated through a collective church decision rather than through the efforts of a single individual.
The clarification stated, church leaders first discussed the financial discrepancies during a committee meeting held in July 2019 before deciding to approach the police. The group also said that Pyngrope and former church secretary A Syiemlieh were later authorised to sign legal documents on behalf of the church after the original complaint was revised.
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The matter eventually became GR Case No. 93(S) of 2021, with one Alfast Bareh named as the accused. Court proceedings in the case are currently continuing in Shillong. The faction also argued that the alleged irregularities were uncovered through internal accounting reviews and a special audit exercise rather than through the actions of one person alone.
It further claimed that Pyngrope had earlier sought assurance from the Synod on whether signing the undertaking would affect the ongoing criminal case.According to the group, the Synod clarified in 2023 that the undertaking had no connection with the FIR or court proceedings, though the clarification allegedly was never shared widely with church members.
The faction additionally stated that discussions over the undertaking had been ongoing inside church meetings for several years before the matter escalated publicly.It claimed that while the amount initially suspected to be missing stood at around Rs 3.26 crore, police investigation later pushed the figure to approximately Rs 4.58 crore.
The dispute has since evolved beyond the financial controversy into a wider battle over the future direction and governance structure of the church.