Pharare village pastor arrested for allegedly raping church members

South African Police Service

Pharare village pastor arrested for allegedly raping church members
Pharare village pastor arrested for allegedly raping church members

A 43-year-old Pastor will appear in Lenyenye magistrate court on 12 June 2020, on charges of allegedly raping two members of his church at Pharare village in Tzaneen Cluster.

The victims aged 24 and 29 opened the cases of rape at Maake police station on Monday, 8 June 2020. The cases were then taken over by members of the SAPS Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit in Tzaneen for further investigations. The suspect was then arrested on Wednesday, 10 June 2020.

The rape were allegedly committed in 2015 and 2019 when the Pastor reportedly deceived the church goers to accompany him to the bushes where he would pray for them and bless them but he instead raped them. Both women allegedly became pregnant and one has since given birth.

The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service Major General Jan Petrus Scheepers, has condemned such behaviour in our communities, especially where women are victimized by people of faith.

The suspect will appear on two counts of rape. The Police investigations are still ongoing.

South Africa Today – South Africa News

SOURCESouth African Police Service