A Gauteng pastor who was supposed to be praying for his congregation has been sentenced to life imprisonment plus five years for preying on children instead.
Appearing in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court, the 41-year-old from Jesus is the Answer Ministries was convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl and sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl, who were both congregants of his church.
The court ordered that the sentences run concurrently and that his name be entered in the National Register for Sex Offenders.
He was further declared unfit to work with children and possess a firearm.
Minor girls violated in 2021 and 2022
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana, the pastor’s conviction stems from two incidents in 2021 and 2022.
On November 2021, Mahanjana said, the 13-year-old arrived at the church early for choir practice and came across the pastor.
The pastor then approached her and instructed her to enter the church building with him.
“After entering the building, the pastor began to question the 13-year-old about serving in church and promised to provide for her with anything she wanted,” Mahanjana said in a statement.
“Thereafter, he began to touch her chest, breast and buttocks.”
The teen then pulled back, walked out of the church building, and joined other church members who had arrived for practice.
In the second incident on 9 April 2022, the 12-year-old was alone at her home in Mamelodi when the pastor arrived and enquired about her parents’ whereabouts.
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He also requested to enter the house.
After learning that the parents of the victim were not home, he entered the house, complimented the victim, and promised to marry her while touching her breast and buttocks.
“Thereafter he pushed the victim on the sofa, undressed her and raped her before leaving,” Mahanjana said.
Pastor arrested after girls disclose events
On 7 August 2022, both girls approached the 12-year-old’s stepfather while he was at church, asking him about steps to take after being abused by the pastor.
“Later that day, at home, the man questioned the 12-year-old about what she and the 13-year-old had told him at church,” the spokesperson said.
The child then told him about the rape and sexual assault incidents. He then opened a case against the pastor.
A few days later, the stepfather informed the teen’s mother about the incident.
The mother asked her daughter about it, which she confirmed. This led to the mother reporting the matter to the police.
Mahanjana said police arrested the pastor at his home on 30 August, after the Family Sexual Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit’s investigations.
Pastor found guilty
He has been in custody since being denied bail, and the girls were taken to Mamelodi Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC), where they received medical care, psychological and legal assistance.
In court, the pastor pleaded not guilty, claiming that the stepfather of the 12-year-old child is falsely accusing him because he wants to take his position as a pastor in the church.
“However, state prosecutor Andries Ntjana presented compelling evidence from Dr Lukhozi from TCC, who examined the 13-year-old victim and the testimony of both victims, and proved the man’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt,” Mahanjana said.
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During sentencing, the pastor requested the court to deviate from imposing the prescribed minimum sentence through his legal representative.
He argued that he was a first-time offender who played a positive role in the community, has three children to take care of, and has been in custody since August 2022.
“However, Ntjana argued that rape is a serious offence that is violent by nature and takes away a child’s childhood, and that the pastor committed those offenses to vulnerable children who trusted and saw him as a father,” the spokesperson said.
He asked the court to impose a sentence of life imprisonment.
Magistrate Lynn Pillay agreed with the state that the pastor showed no remorse and committed serious offences.
Pillay said it was the responsibility of the courts to protect communities from such perpetrators by removing them from the communities.
She found no substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from imposing life imprisonment.
‘Parents’ critical role’
Acting Director of Public Prosecutions in Gauteng, Advocate Marika Jansen Van Vuuren, commended Ntjana and said cases like this provide justice and remove violent criminals from the streets.
“The NPA urges vigilance, prompt reporting of abuse, and support via TCCs, which offer medical, psychological, and legal aid,” Mahanjana said.
“This case highlights parents’ critical role in recognising and acting on abuse signs.”
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