Rape accused Limpopo pastor gets bail
2012-01-18 17:53
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Pirates of Polokwane
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Johannesburg - The Limpopo pastor accused of raping three members of his church was released on R1 500 bail by the Polokwane Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.
Magistrate Janine Ungerer said the state failed to convince the court why the accused should not be released on bail.
She also said people should understand that bail was not a punishment.
The 50-year-old pastor of the Devine Deliverance Church in Seshego is facing three charges of rape - one in the Seshego Magistrate's Court and two in Polokwane.
He was arrested on New Year's Eve after a 20-year-old woman opened a rape case against him at the Seshego police station.
Shortly after he was released on R2 000 bail, two girls, 14 and 18-years-old, opened cases against him in Polokwane.
The man's lawyer, J Papule, wanted the Polokwane charges to be withdrawn as the State did not have a medical report to support their case.
During the bail application, Papule told the court that charges against his client were a conspiracy to discredit him in society.
He argued that one of the victims was in fact not a minor, as had been claimed after the alleged rape.
The case was postponed to February 29 for further investigation.
- SAPA
