Arrest of pastor in sex assault case ‘premature’

A NIGERIAN pastor based in Durban made his first appearance in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court yesterday on charges of human trafficking and sexual assault.

The pastor was arrested at Port Elizabeth Airport on Thursday. He also runs church branches in Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Joburg and Bloemfontein.

The 58-year-old televangelist allegedly trafficked more than 30 girls and women who were from various branches of his church to a house in uMhlanga, KwaZulu- Natal, where he allegedly sexually exploited them.

State Prosecutor Zelda Swanepoel said the State was not in a position to proceed with a formal bail application as the pastor’s personal circumstances needed to be verified.

Swanepoel said the pastor faced four charges, and more charges could be added as the investigation team still needed to travel to other provinces to conduct investigations.

She indicated that two of the four charges – human trafficking – fell under a schedule six offence and the State would be opposing bail.

“The State is not in a position to proceed with any bail application; the accused was only arrested last night (Thursday). Nothing of his personal particulars, including his address, his passport and authority to be in the country – nothing has been determined,” said Swanepoel.

The pastor’s attorney, Alwyn Griebenow, said the draft charge sheet indicated that the counts against his client stemmed back to 2014 and 2015.

Griebenow told the court that police conduct “reeked of malice”.

“The accused was arrested at the airport after it was arranged with the investigating officer that the accused fly down from Durban to meet up with the investigating officer with his attorneys,” Griebenow told the court.

“It seems the arrest of the accused was premature because the State is not in a position to verify his personal circumstances, despite the fact these allegations have been in the media since the end of last year.”

Griebenow wanted a formal bail application to proceed as soon as next week, and said his client was the “well known” head of an inter national church who had been living in South Africa for 19 years.

Swanepoel argued that there was a “big difference” between reports in the media and evidence. She said the State would not be able to proceed with a bail application next week because the investigation team would be conducting investigations in other provinces. “This is a draft charge sheet and other charges may be added.”

The case was postponed until May 3 for a bail application. – ANA