KEY POINTS
- Pastor Thabiso Mongatane received a 15-year prison term because he raped a 25-year-old female victim.
- The woman allowed Mongatane to manipulate her because he presented the idea that she needed spiritual healing.
- Mongatane received his conviction after the Mokopane FCS unit conducted a complete investigative process.
Thabiso Victor Mongatane received a 15-year prison sentence for his crime of raping the 25-year-old at Masodi village, Limpopo, in September 2022.
He held the title of pastor at that time. The woman decided to seek spiritual help from Mongatane but he misused his power during the treatment.
Details of the incident
A relative had recommended the pastor to the woman so she could bring her mother to Mongatane for healing expression. Mongatane performed a prophecy to the victim on September 4. 2022 and ordered her to come back for his next step.
Mongatane instructed the victim to remove her clothes before the steaming procedure when she came back for a treatment on that second day. During the monitoring period Mongatane went away then came back to sexually assault her during the steaming session.
Pastor sentenced, investigation and conviction
Officials from the Mokopane violence unit received a rape investigation from local police law enforcement. Mongatane obtained bail before his conviction when law enforcement arrested him during March 2023.
Pastor sentenced, jurisdictional authority of the Mahwelereng Regional Court issued a 15-year prison sentence to him.
Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe of the Limpopo Provincial Police thanked the team for their investigative diligence which resulted in the conviction.
