Limpopo pastor convicted of rape granted bail pending psychologist’s report

James Thubakgale, a 57-year-old pastor from Seshego, Limpopo, on Tuesday appeared in the Mankweng Regional Court and was granted R200,000 bail.

This after the defence brought in an application that they wanted to consult a private psychologist but the state opposed it. The court ultimately granted him the bail.

The accused was on trial for two counts of rape he committed during January 2012 and was on Monday 2019-08-19 convicted on both counts. One of the rape victims was a 14-year-old minor child at the time, said police in the province.

The pastor, from the Deliverance Church of Christ in Seshego, is also facing several charges for the crimes committed in Seshego policing area for which he was also granted bail.

He and five members of his church will again appear in Seshego magistrate court on August 27, 2019, on multiple charges emanating from the crimes they allegedly committed in Seshego policing area. The five, aged between 24 and 59, are still out on bail.

The case against Thubakgale has been postponed to October 21 and 22, 2019, for sentencing.

(Compiled by Makhosandile Zulu)

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