'Let us pray...'

2003-05-30 08:16

Sonja Carstens

Pretoria - A minister of the Dutch Reformed Church in Pretoria asked his congregation to pray for his colleague who molested three boys, but neglected to mention prayer for the victims.

One of the boys, 15, said on Thursday the molestation was the beginning of his hell of more than two years because "nobody" from the school or church believed the allegations he and his friends, aged 13 and 14, had made against Deon Landman, 36.

Landman, a popular minister for the church in Derdepoort, Pretoria, was found guilty on Wednesday in Pretoria regional court on three charges of indecent assault.

He had pleaded not guilty. Magistrate George Krause found that Landman fondled, masturbated and had oral sex with the boys at his home after meeting them at a church camp.

The community was so convinced of the minister's innocence, that a teacher asked two of the victims to leave a class when Landman came to give dancing lessons at the school.

The 15-year-old said he refused to go to school the next day for fear of encountering his assailant again.

Shortly after this incident, the boy was transferred to another school because of behavioural problems and, since he was molested he has been aggressive and rebellious.

Wants dominee to say he is sorry

The boy said he was glad when he saw Landman's photo and the report on his conviction on the front page of newspapers on Thursday.

"I want him to feel how we felt when everyone looked at us and said we were lying.

"I am angry at Deon (Landman), but I don't think he realised what he did. He thinks the things he did are okay. Initially, I did not think the sex games were wrong.

"My biggest wish is that he (Landman) admits in court what he did to me and says, in front of everyone, that he is sorry.

"Then I will be able to put what happened behind me. I do not want him to go to jail and suffer," the boy said. p>He said he "loved" Landman's "delicious food". There were always boys at Landman's house and he always helped the boy in times of need.

In church with his fiancée

"When the church council took him (Landman) to task because my friends and I visited him so often, he said we could still come, but that we should "lay low".

"Deon (Landman) wasn't a church minister in our eyes, but a friend who smoked and swore with us. He was cool. Later, I wondered whether I was gay," said the boy.

Since the case was first reported, Landman has been in church every Sunday with his fiancée, Mieke.

Parishioners alleged that he believed unequivocally that he was innocent. He apparently promised last Sunday that he would be back on the pulpit this coming Sunday.

The case was postponed to next month for sentencing.

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- Beeld