Pastor in hot soup for allegedly buying sex

Lebogang Mosikare | Friday September 16, 2016 15:21

 

Though facing a rape charge the pastor accuses the complainant of crying wolf because he could not pay for the sexual escapade.  The state alleges that Charles Thembo, 39, of the Enlightened Christian in Gathering (ECG) allegedly raped a woman aged 21 at his Selepa residence on August 28.

When Thembo appeared on Friday, detective sergeant Master Seleka told the court that the purpose of the mention was to extend the remand warrant of the accused to remain in jail in order to allow the police to complete their investigations.

Thembo, however, promptly conceded having had sex with the complanant, but just that he did not pay afterwards.  He also said the intercourse with the complainant was consensual. 

He said that he was hauled before court and is currently languishing in jail only because he did not have money to immediately pay for services rendered after the sexual adventure.

“The complainant was demanding money after sex, which I did not have at that time.  My failure to pay for sex on time is the one (reason) making the complainant to falsely implicate me for rape. 

This whole situation is only about money.  We had arranged to have sex and she honoured the appointment by coming to my place.

“My friend has already deposited P1,000 into the account of the complainant that she demanded from me while I was in custody,” said a remorseful Thembo of Harare.

However, Seleka said that the accused would be given the opportunity to have his say during trial, which prompted magistrate, Kaveri Kapeko to ask Seleka what would happen if it later transpired that the accused was telling the truth.

“If this is true, the accused may sue for unlawful arrest and malicious prosecution,” Kapeko warned the police, adding that they should expedite their investigations so that the accused does not stay in custody for an unnecessarily long period for an offence he may not have committed.

Springing to the aid of his colleague, inspector Lekang Tshepo said that under the circumstances, the issue should be referred to the investigation officer in order to ascertain if the accused has or has not paid, as he claimed.

“If the accused says he had paid, he should have brought the deposit slip to show that indeed his friend has deposited money into the complainant’s account,” said Tshepo.

Since Thembo is also facing charges of entering Botswana illegally and working in the country without a work permit, Seleka opposed bail.

He told Kapeko that the state is strongly against the accused being given bail since he is a flight risk because he entered Botswana illegally and was working in the country without a residence and work permit.

Kapeko further remanded Thembo in jail for a status report on October 6, 2016.