Cape Town - Anti-gender-based violence organisation Ilitha labantu has expressed disappointment at the news of the re-arrest of a senior Worcester female pastor for the alleged rape and assault of three children.
The pastor, who was formerly convicted on similar charges and incarcerated for 15 years, together with her husband, is accused of five counts of human trafficking, two counts of rape and 100 counts of possession and creation of child pornography.
Police spokesperson Ndake Gwala said the accused is believed to have orchestrated her alleged crimes between 2016 and this year.
She said: “We believe the suspect deceived the parents of three children into allowing her to host their children for a sleepover at her place of residence. During this period, she then drugged the children, undressed them and took pictures.
“One of the victims said the suspect locked her in a bedroom and told her to undress and not be uncomfortable because they were both females. She then took naked pictures of the child from different angles. The husband’s involvement was still under investigation,” Gwala said.
Following her arrest, the National Prosecuting Authority said the suspect appeared in the Worcester Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. Her case was postponed to next week, July 26, for a formal bail hearing.
NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said: “The accused’s lawyer has withdrawn from the case. The accused has indicated that she will be appointing a new attorney, who will be ready to proceed with her bail application.”
Ilitha labantu spokesperson Siyabulela Monakali said: “Not enough is being done to eradicate GBV. A key area of concern lies in our courts and the police in their ability to effectively apprehend and convict perpetrators.
“Far too often perpetrators are arrested today, and by next week they are released, and they often go back into society and perpetuate the same crimes they were previously arrested for. A collective effort is also required to address GBVF.
Stronger measures need to be implemented to provide education and awareness about these issues in our communities because not enough attention is placed on preventative measures, and this is our biggest Achilles heel as a nation. Our approach ought to be proactive instead of reactionary,” he said.