Alleged human trafficking pastor suffering ‘ill health’

PORT ELIZABETH: A Nigerian pastor charged with human trafficking, sexual assault and the rape of young girls is suffering from “ill health and anxiety” while being detained in custody, says his new interim lawyer.

The pastor, who cannot be named, was back in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court yesterday where the case against him was postponed until Monday to arrange a new date for a bail application on new facts.

The pastor has since fired his legal team attorney of Alwyn Griebenow and Advocate Terry Price SC after he was refused bail last month.

At the time, the magistrate was of the opinion that the pastor was a flight risk and would probably interfere with State witnesses.

The pastor has now appointed attorneys from the firm McLoughlin Porter in Vereeniging.

Port Elizabeth-based attorney James Riley, under the firm’s instruction, asked for the matter to be postponed until next week and requested that the pastor make his appearance via AVR video system, which will broadcast from St Albans prison.

The pastor, who was based in Durban, is alleged to have trafficked more than 30 girls and women who were from branches of his church countrywide. He allegedly took the girls to a house in Umhlanga, near Durban, where he allegedly sexually exploited them.

The girls were allegedly told not to tell anyone or they would be “cursed and die”.

The pastor was arrested by the Hawks at Port Elizabeth airport in April and has been in custody since. – ANA