A pastor who exploited his position of trust within evangelical churches to target children and young women has been convicted of seventeen sexual offences following a trial at Liverpool Crown Court.
Walter Chahwanda, 34, of Plemonstall Court in Chester, was found guilty on 3 February 2026 after a jury heard how he groomed victims he met through church-related activities across the country over a four-year period. He will be sentenced on 20 March 2026.
Chahwanda served as a pastor in the Apostolic Faith Mission before establishing his own church in Liverpool called Sound of Dominion. He held a role of authority within the religious communities and was admired by many members, which he exploited to gain access to vulnerable children and young women.
The court heard Chahwanda employed a consistent method to target his victims. He would meet children or young women through church activities across the country, then add them to his Snapchat or Instagram accounts to continue communication online. Initially the conversations appeared normal, but he would begin sexualising the chats by commenting on the girls’ appearance and expressing attraction to them.
Without warning, Chahwanda would send intimate pictures and videos of himself, often performing sexual acts, to his victims. The images shocked and confused the children and young women who had respected him as a religious leader.
Prosecutors established that an element of his offending involved goading victims to reveal his actions and tell others in order to “expose him.” The prospect of being caught appeared to form part of his sexual fantasies, according to evidence presented at trial.
Several women did inform others about the pictures and the Church was made aware of Chahwanda’s conduct, but he refused to stop his offending. His behaviour escalated as time progressed, ultimately including the sexual assault of a 14-year-old child.
The investigation began after the father of one victim reported the abuse to the NSPCC. Multiple other victims subsequently contacted police and support organisations about Chahwanda’s behaviour.
Officers arrested Chahwanda in February 2024 and interviewed him again in April 2025 following further enquiries into additional possible victims. Under questioning, he denied all allegations, though he admitted having sexualised conversations on one social media platform. He dismissed this as “naughty” and claimed he was merely indulging in role play.
The Crown Prosecution Service authorised Merseyside Police to charge him with 22 counts relating to nine victims. Chahwanda pleaded not guilty to all offences.
The jury found him guilty of 17 counts including sexual activity with a child, sending indecent electronic images, causing a child to watch a sexual act, and sexual communication with a child. He was acquitted of one count of rape, one count of assault by penetration and one count of sending a photograph of his genitals. The CPS offered no evidence on two blackmail charges.
Aaron Smith, a specially trained lawyer with CPS Mersey Cheshire Rape and Serious Sexual Offences unit, stated Chahwanda “used his position as a respected Pastor to abuse a 14-year-old child and cause distress to multiple young women and children.”
Smith added: “He had no regard for their wellbeing or vulnerability and was solely focused on his own sexual gratification.” The prosecutor noted that victims found it difficult to comprehend a man in Chahwanda’s position would act in such a manner, with some feeling unable to discuss sex openly with others.
“He continued to deny that what he had been doing was criminal and said the victims had consented. He passed off his offences as harmless,” Smith stated, adding that victims explained the true impact through their statements and evidence.
