An East London pastor’s body shook with his sobs as he stood in the dock in the East London magistrate’s court on Tuesday, charged with statutory rape.
The 52-year-old Buffalo Flats cleric, who cannot be named because he has not yet pleaded, was arrested on Monday after reportedly evading three prior attempts to arrest him.
According to the state’s case the complainant was raped and impregnated in 2016, when she was only 13.
She gave birth in 2017.
A paternity test in May allegedly pointed to the pastor as the baby’s biological father.
The accused sobbed out loud as magistrate Rochelle Sam postponed the case to July 18 for further investigation.
A handful of relatives were in the gallery to support him.
Prosecutor Thabisa Sicwebu gave notice that she would oppose bail but the magistrate granted permission for a formal bail application.
The bail hearing was set for Thursday.
East London pastor, 52, accused of impregnating 13-year-old girl
Image: File
An East London pastor’s body shook with his sobs as he stood in the dock in the East London magistrate’s court on Tuesday, charged with statutory rape.
The 52-year-old Buffalo Flats cleric, who cannot be named because he has not yet pleaded, was arrested on Monday after reportedly evading three prior attempts to arrest him.
According to the state’s case the complainant was raped and impregnated in 2016, when she was only 13.
She gave birth in 2017.
A paternity test in May allegedly pointed to the pastor as the baby’s biological father.
The accused sobbed out loud as magistrate Rochelle Sam postponed the case to July 18 for further investigation.
A handful of relatives were in the gallery to support him.
Prosecutor Thabisa Sicwebu gave notice that she would oppose bail but the magistrate granted permission for a formal bail application.
The bail hearing was set for Thursday.
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