Case of pastor accused of rape postponed for bail judgment

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The case against a 39-year-old pastor accused of raping a minor has been postponed to next Wednesday for bail judgment. Promise Shabangu made an appearance before the Mkhuhlu Magistrate’s Court earlier today, for his formal bail application.

Shabangu is accused of sexually molesting a 15-year-old girl, who is one of his congregants. It is alleged that Shabangu raped the girl and gave her R100 and a calculator.

One community member, Crucial Shilubane, says the community is against the bail application.

“We are not happy; we think as a community, the pastor is not supposed to get any bail. He’s supposed to remain in custody until he finishes the whole case and we are not ready to stay with the pastor at Section F anymore. We wish the pastor could go inside the custody and until he finishes his own case, that’s all we are looking for as a community.”

#sapsMP Pastor (39) and Grandfather (52) appear in court for alleged rape of minors in separate incidents. The suspects have been remanded in custody after appearing in Mkhuhlu and Bushbuckridge Magistrate’s Courts respectively on 12/02. #EndGBV #ActAgainstAbuse ME… pic.twitter.com/DQUGZmwnOb

— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) February 13, 2024

The case was postponed to 15 February 2024 for a formal bail application.