A 25-year-old pastor is in custody for allegedly kidnapping and raping a 15-year-old girl, police spokesperson Sergeant Ann Poortman told Rekord.
The arrest came after the teenager disappeared on Saturday noon from Itirileng informal settlement in Laudium.
“Her parents opened a missing person’s case on Saturday and police launched a search along with community members. The pastor, known to the girl and her family as their church leader, assisted the family in the search, while the girl was kept locked in a shack not far from his own,” she said.
Poortman said the girl was allegedly repeatedly raped by the pastor during the weekend.
“The pastor then allegedly released her on Monday evening at 21:30 and instructed her to tell her parents that she was visiting a friend in Mamelodi. Upon being questioned by her parents, the girl came out with the truth.”
The pastor was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday morning by the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) and is held at Atteridgeville Police Station.
“He is expected to appear in court soon.”
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