Bail ruling for bishop accused of rape postponed

The bail application of a 49year-old bishop accused of raping his young relative was postponed on Thursday in the Libode magistrate’s court.

The man, who limped inside the courtroom and spoke almost in a whisper, said he would not interfere with witnesses should he be released on bail.

The gallery was filled with female church congregants.

He said he had left his seven church branches in the hands of committee members – who had elected him bishop – and needed to get back to work.

He said he also needed to be released on bail to look after his sick mother.

On the second day hearing, prosecutor of the Fezile Makunga said the state opposed bail on the basis that the accused knew the witness and there was a likelihood he would interfere with investigations.

Investigating officer detective Sobabini Mcazulwa testified that the complainant feared for her life.

“She [the complainant] told me [the man] threatened to kill her and used a gun to threaten her if she told anyone about the offence.

“She said she would rather poison herself if [he] is released out on bail,” he said.

Defence attorney Hloniphile Mkhongozeli called former Libode station commander Lt-Col Bukelwa Somthunzi, who said she did not believe the allegations against the bishop.

She said the victim had been a troublesome girl since she came to live at the church’s mission in Gxulu in 2014.

In his closing argument, Mkhongozeli said his client suffered from heart disease, diabetes and hypertension and it was not in the interest of justice if he died in a prison cell.

“There is nothing that the applicant as a candidate.

“People [from his church] submitted a petition that he must be released on bail and hinders bail 98% of those are women. That is very unusual,” he said. However, on Thursday, Makunga told the court that the bishop was arrested on September 4 for another case of indecent assault, in Hofmeyr.

He was charged and released on bail of R500 in that matter.

He is accused of inappropriately touching the daughter of a close female friend.

Makunga said if the accused were released on bail in the case relating to his relative, he would interfere with the complainant, as he knew where she lived.

He told the court that the investigations were complete.

On Friday, magistrate Nwabisa Jumba postponed the case to September 20 for judgment on the bail application.

The accused was sent to the medical facility at the Wellington prison.