Alleged pastor’s rape, infant murder case postponed

A case that has left Atteridgeville reeling has taken another turn, with a self-proclaimed pastor and his two alleged wives facing a string of serious charges linked to the rape of a 43-year-old woman and the murder of her four-month-old baby.

The trio appeared together for the first time at the Atteridgeville Magistrate’s Court on Monday, with proceedings postponed to Friday, 16 October.

Thirty-six-year-old, Caiphus Mkhawana, was arrested on Saturday in Diepsloot, where police allegedly found him hiding in a back room at an informal settlement, with visible injuries on his body.

Mkhawana and his 24-year-old wife, Ntsako Makhubela, who were allegedly present during the incident, face charges including fraud, conspiracy to commit murder, human trafficking, two counts of kidnapping, murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

His second wife, 25-year-old Amanda Mnguni, faces charges including fraud and conspiracy to commit murder.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana, says the accused allegedly took out a funeral policy in the names of the mother and her baby before the horrific incident.

The trio will return to court on Friday, with Mkhawana indicating that he wants a legal representative appointed by the State.

All three accused have also expressed an interest in applying for bail.

As the legal process unfolds, civil society organisations have demanded accountability.

The Kwanele Foundation, an organisation fighting gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), says South Africa has become a crime scene.

Its founder, Sihle Sibisi, has condemned the alleged actions of the trio, calling for tighter regulation of churches nationwide to ensure that religious leadership is accompanied by accountability.

“But who holds pastor’s or men and women of faith accountable when gruesome things are happening in their churches. I mean as a lawyer, you are held accountable by the law society. As an educator, it’s the South African Council of Educators. But who holds pastors accountable? Who checks that the things that they are doing are in line with proper things and that they are not inflicting Gender Based Violence or Femicide onto the people of the church?” questioned Sibisi.

Sibisi says the developments are heartbreaking, warning of possible public backlash should the accused be granted bail.

She has also highlighted the alleged involvement of the two women, stressing that violence against women and children is not perpetrated by men alone and that women accused of such crimes must also be held accountable.

Another organisation, Malekanyane, has expressed outrage over the infant’s killing, joining several civic groups outside the Atteridgeville Magistrate’s Court to follow the proceedings.

The organisation says the case reflects the urgent need to confront violent crime in the community.

Malekanyane activist, Lerato Sachane, has condemned the baby’s killing, raising concerns about what she describes as rampant crime in Atteridgeville.

“What happened has angered us as a community and as the organisation because crime in our community here in Atteridgeville is rife, especially those involving people we trust the most as the community. Pastors and their wives are the very people we run to when we are facing issues in our lives but when such crimes are committed by them it’s so sad. It’s sad because there’s is not anywhere safe where we can run to,” Sachane said.

According to police, the mother was allegedly led by Mkhawana into a remote area, where she was raped while bound with ropes.

His wife allegedly remained behind with the infant.

The mother managed to escape and seek help at a nearby construction site.

The suspects allegedly left with the baby, whose body was later discovered buried in a shallow grave near the Hennops River, close to the R511.

Makhubela, one of the wives, allegedly led authorities to the site where the infant’s body was found.

As the accused prepare to return to court, the case has ignited fresh calls for justice for the mother and her child, while raising difficult questions about violence, accountability and the abuse of positions of trust.

Written by: Odirile Rabalao