Mboro’s courtroom prayer antics spark scolding

Controversial Pastor, Paseka “Mboro” Motsoeneng, made a bold statement outside the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court, saying he’s willing to go to jail for praying. 

It comes after his brief appearance in court yesterday, where he faced kidnapping and assault charges, among others, for violently removing his grandchildren from a primary school in Katlehong, alongside his son and bodyguard who are his co-accused. 

Mboro’s courtroom prayers didn’t sit well with Magistrate Ipfi Mammburu, who deemed them inappropriate. 

“If you want to pray or act in a particular way, you can only do so when we are done with the matter,” Mammburu said. 

Despite this, Mboro asserted his right to pray, stating he wasn’t aware that it was unlawful.

“I didn’t know it was a crime to pray. I didn’t want to look at the magistrate because when I look at (him), they say I’m intimidating,” he added. 

During Motsoeneng’s bail hearing in August, it emerged he’d been arrested on nine previous occasions, with all the cases later withdrawn. 

Explaining his run-ins with the law, the pastor claimed that the cases were all targeted attacks due to his popularity as a television personality.

His initial bail denial was due to public safety concerns and his arrest history. 

However, he was later released on R3 000 bail in September.

In a surprising twist, Mboro’s lawyer, advocate Phillip Dlamini, announced his withdrawal from the case, citing other high-profile commitments. 

Mboro returns to court on the 26th of this month.