Council of Churches calls for ‘strongest law punishable’ to be meted out to panga-wielding Pastor Mboro
The Gauteng Provincial Council of Churches has welcomed the arrest of Pastor Mboro and his co-accused following a violent attack at a Katlehong primary school, earlier this week.
"The South African Council of Churches in the Gauteng Province regards this incident as very unfortunate and recommends that it must be met with the strongest law punishable as a lesson to curb future incidents. The Council applauds the arrest of those involved, including that of Pastor Mboro, said council chairperson Bishop Dr W Rakuba.
He said it was disappointing for a Christian leader to go into any institute of learning, particularly a primary school, armed with such dangerous weapons.
"It is even more shocking for a pastor to participate in the forceful abduction of children in full sight of teachers and the neighbouring community. The persistent wielding of pangas and rifles reflect the complete disregard of the law, safety and security necessary in the school premises and residential areas.
"It is a perpetuation of the scourge of violence against children and undermines legal processes to resolve disputes which must be condemned in the strongest terms," Rakuba said in a statement.
Mboro, real name Paseka Motshoeneng, appeared in the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court on Wednesday alongside his co-accused; Vincent Baloyi and Revival Motshoeneng - Mboro’s son.
Earlier this week, the men went to the school and allegedly forcefully removed two boys - Mboro’s grandsons who live with their grandmother after their mother died.
The men face a raft of charges including kidnapping, possession of dangerous weapons and of unlicensed firearms, possession of prohibited firearm, assault by way of threat, pointing of firearms, discharging of a firearm and malicious damage to property. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has received three more dockets related to the matter.
They have been remanded in custody until August 16.
Regarding the three dockets, the NPA's Phindi Mjonondwane said Mboro laid a complaint of common assault against two people, the children's uncle and grandmother, claiming that he was assaulted at the school. The uncle and grandmother have also been arrested and have been granted bail. They are due back in court next month.
"The last docket is related to the assault charge laid by the Station Commander of Katlehong North Police, against the uncle of the children, alleging that he was attacked by him at the police station when he was attending to the altercation between the parties involved,“ she said.
Mahanjana said the State did not enrol Mboro’s son’s case, pending further investigations.
IOL News