“PANGA” pastor Paseka “Mboro“ Motsoeneng, made his first appearance in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday after he forcefully took his two grandchildren from the Matsediso Primary School in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni, wielding a panga.
Pastor Mboro, 66, his son Vincent Revival Motsoeneng, 27, and bodyguard Clement Camillot Baloyi, 43, appeared in court but were not asked to plead. They were remanded in custody pending a bail hearing scheduled for August 16.
The panga incident, captured on cellphone footage, went viral on social media and led to his tent church being razed the following day.
NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane confirmed that the three were facing 12 charges ranging from the kidnapping of minors and the possession of a dangerous weapon to the discharging of a firearm (Mboro), discharging of firearm (Baloyi), pointing of a firearm, assault by way of a threat (Mboro and Baloyi), assault (Mboro and son), malicious damage to property (Mboro), possession of unlicensed firearm (Baloyi) and possession of dangerous weapons (Mboro).
Five people, including the children’s grandmother and the uncle, were arrested after the incident.
Mjonondwane said: “We received a total of five dockets which were registered on August 5. We have a main docket against Mboro, his son and the bodyguard. Then the second docket was joined together into the main docket which is one for malicious damage to property. We have a third docket where Revival is the complainant.
“He laid a charge of assault against the maternal side of the children. The fourth docket was laid by the station commander of Katlehong North against the uncle of the children. The fifth docket where Mboro is the complainant is for common assault against the grandmother and the uncle of the children.”
Mboro’s legal representative, advocate Solomon Tshivhase, speaking to journalists outside the court, said they were not concerned that Mboro did not get bail.
“I cannot divulge any more information until my client applies for bail next Friday,” said Tshivhase.
He was also mum about the type of weapon his client was charged with.
Outside the court, a group of supporters of the maternal side of the family called on the court to deny Mboro and his co-accused bail.
There was a moment where The Star witnessed community members chanting “Mboro must fall” while on the other side, church members of Incredible Happenings Ministries were seen kneeling and praying.
“Mboro must sit in jail for what he did,” said one community member who did not want to be named.
Inside the courtroom, some family members said Mboro should not get bail.
A church leader told church goers not to speak to the media.
“We are here to support our father who is innocent. We are peaceful and we must remain conducting ourselves in a peaceful manner,” said the church leader, addressing the church members.
The grandmother and the uncle, who appeared late in the afternoon, are facing charges of public violence and intimidation. They were later released on R1 000 bail each and the matter was postponed to September 10. They are facing charges of common assault and intimidation.
The court issued a strict rule that the media should not show the faces of the two suspects as this would identify the children, who are minors.
A source said Mboro went to the school where he found out that his son had allegedly been assaulted. A male teacher allegedly intervened and took him to another room.
“Mboro noticed that his son had been assaulted. That was when he fetched the panga and his bodyguard brought the rifle. The uncle of the children was called in by the grandmother, who is also a teacher at the school,” said the source.
Kgadi Hlalele, a relative from the maternal side of the children, broke her silence outside court on Wednesday. She told journalists they did not know where the children were and revealed that there were three children in total.
“Among the children, one is aged three, whom they don’t care about because he still needs more attention. The children have been living with their grandmother. We are still hurting due to the passing away of their mother. The children are taking treatment for TB and their mother died due to it.
“The father went to the school on Thursday and took them away. We left him, thinking he would bring back the children. On Friday, he failed to take them to school. These children need to take their treatment, hence, we wanted to give it to him but he did not listen. Mboro does not want the children to take the treatment,” said Hlalele.
She said the family asked police officers to accompany them to take the medication to the children. However, Mboro refused.
“He came out wielding the same panga in front of the police. So him being seen doing that at the school was not the only time. He knows he is untouchable,” said Hlalele.
The Star