Pastor hides in tree

2004-07-21 15:18

Riot Hlatshwayo

Burgersfort - A Limpopo pastor hid in a tree when police arrived at his house on Tuesday night to charge him with raping a 13-year-old girl.

The 57-year-old pastor from Bothashoek village near Burgersfort jumped out of the tree when he thought the police had left, but they saw him and arrested him.

"The girl said she'd been raped in a ditch about 17:00 that day while on her way to fetch relish for her mother," said investigating officer, Inspector Mahlathini Ngele on Wednesday.

He said the girl knew the pastor well as he'd previously prayed with her and her friends.

"She said after the rape he asked her to forgive him and gave her change amounting to R3 so that she wouldn't tell anyone," he said.

But she went home and told her parents, who immediately took her to Tubatse police station.

She was also taken to Maandagshoek Hospital where a doctor confirmed she'd been raped. Arrangements were made for her to undergo counselling.

The pastor is expected to appear in the Praktiseer magistrate's court on Thursday.

- African Eye