Pastor Lukau’s church gives a statement on the resurrection miracle. The Alleluia International Ministries church in Kramerville, Sandton, now says that Lukau had only “completed a miracle that God had already started”. The climbdown is after the church found itself in hot water with three funeral parlours that were apparently duped into taking part in the act reporting it to the police yesterday.

As pastor Alph Lukau’s “resurrection” video continued to dominate social media conversations yesterday, with many ridiculing his claims, the Alleluia International Ministries said the “dead” man was actually “already alive” when his “body” got to the premises.

Advocate Prince Mafu, speaking on behalf of Kings and Queens, Black Phoenix and Kingdom Blue, said the parlours were used through various forms of misrepresentation to suit a particular outcome.

Mafu said people linked to the church approached the parlours individually, buying a coffin from one, stickers from another and hiring a hearse from another one. “It is with regret that the outcome of such a plot has adversely affected our reputation as service providers. “We have reported the matter at Jeppe police station for further investigation,” Mafu said.

Lukau faced a backlash on social media for claiming “a dead man came back to LIFE in this service” on Sunday.

Amid mounting pressure, church leaders hurriedly sought to change their tune on the incident yesterday, saying the man identified as Elliot in the video had arrived alive and kicking inside a coffin at the church gate.

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