Pastor Mboro’s latest bail bid postponed as controversial ‘prophet’ claims victimisation in custody

Pastor Paseka Mboro Motsoeneng appear at Palm Ridge Magistrateís Court on charges of violence and intimidation in Palm Ridge, South Africa. This comes after a viral video of Pastor Mboro wielding a panga at teachers at Matsediso Primary School. 07 August 2024. (Photo: Gallo Images/OJ Koloti)

By Michelle Banda

3 Sep 2024

Self-proclaimed prophet ‘Pastor Mboro’ Motsoeneng has made another court appearance in the Palm Ridge Magistrates’ Court in Johannesburg, seeking bail again and alleging victimisation and prejudice in police custody.

Mboro was back in court on Monday seeking to appeal his bail denial from 19 August. The hearing, which was postponed to 9 September, was based on what his legal team described as “new facts”.

After weeks in police custody, Mboro appeared before the court alone, without his co-accused bodyguard Clement Baloyi and his relative. In his last appearance the court denied bail to both Mboro and Baloyi, saying they had failed to provide sufficient evidence to justify their release. Magistrate Katlego Mokoena criticised their affidavits as a “sloppy copy and paste” riddled with spelling errors. Mboro’s son was released on a warning.

Read more: Magistrate blasts Pastor Mboro’s ‘sloppy copy and paste’ affidavit, denies bail in school abduction case

Mboro’s latest bail application hinges on the legal provision that allows suspects to apply for bail based on new evidence while still in police custody. Despite this, prosecutor Peello Vilakazi told the court he was not prepared to proceed because he had only been informed about the application on the day and the docket remained with investigating officers for further investigation.

Protesters outside the Palm Ridge Magistrates’ Court during Pastor Mboro’s appearance on 7 August 2024. (Photo: Gallo Images / OJ Koloti)

Mboro’s legal representative, advocate Phillip Dhlamini, argued in court that his client was being victimised and prejudiced.

“Detention is not an easy thing to handle,” Dhlamini said, adding that Mboro and Baloyi were being mentally tortured. He emphasised that the charges against them do not involve Schedule 6 crimes, which are the most serious under South African law.

“I can see that the police tactics interfere with Motsoeneng’s mind,” Dhlamini argued, pointing to what he believes is undue pressure being placed on his client by law enforcement.

Pastor Mboro in court on 7 August 2024. (Photo: Gallo Images / OJ Koloti)

According to Dhlamini, Mboro was brought to court last week without his lawyer’s knowledge and the matter was postponed to 2 September. He urged the court to deal with the matter within the week, but it was postponed to next Monday, 9 September.

When asked by the media how he is coping in custody, Mboro said: “I was praying; I was not depressed. I was talking to God. The cases we have opened are not entertained, my cars are being destroyed, and the church is burnt down by the family that wants to take the children born in my house, raised by me and my son. What is happening now is I am trusting God, and I am still here, waiting.”

Despite his legal team’s efforts to keep him from speaking to the media, Mboro was defiant, telling them: “Ntlohelleng lona, leave me alone, it’s my life here.” He added that he believes he is being punished for his popularity.

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Mboro and his co-accused face 12 serious charges, including kidnapping, possession of an unlicensed firearm, discharging a firearm, assault and malicious property damage. These stem from a widely circulated video showing Mboro, his bodyguard and his son causing chaos at Matsediso Primary School in Katlehong. The video depicted the group wielding pangas, pointing unlicensed firearms at school staff and abducting two children believed to be Mboro’s grandchildren. The incident is reportedly part of an ongoing custody battle between the children’s maternal and paternal families.

With the case now postponed until 9 September, the controversial pastor and his bodyguard remain in custody, awaiting the court’s decision on his latest bail application. DM

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