adminWarrant Officer Kay Makhubela said the 62-year-old pastor of a Zion Apostolic church in Soweto was arrested on Wednesday afternoon.
He allegedly raped the 12-year-old girl and sexually assaulted two others aged 13 and 15. The 12-year-old reported the matter to her teachers at school, who alerted the police.
This was after she told her mother about the first crime that happened a month earlier, but the mother did not believe her at the time.
The other two girls came forward after the 12-year-old reported the matter. The girls told the police the pastor had not raped them but had repeatedly given them money after fondling them.
One of the girls had to be taken to a place of safety, as she was afraid to go back home after the matter was reported to the police.
She had also told her guardian about the alleged abuse, but was also not believed.
The pastor apparently cornered the girls when they came to buy from a spaza shop on his property.
He was expected to appear in the Protea Magistrates’ Court today. — Sapa
Online Reporter
derick.khumalo