IPHC suspects denied bail
Four suspects remanded in custody after church killing in Mabopane
Four people accused of the murder of two congregants of a church in Mabopane last Thursday, were denied bail by the Pretoria High Court on Monday.
Police spokesperson, Lieutenant Kay Makhubela said the suspects were remanded in custody pending further investigations.
It is believed members of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC) where meeting in church in Mabopane when a group of men stormed in and started beating them up.
Witnesses claimed the assailants had arrived in a minibus taxi.“A church member identified as Peter Nkomo was killed during the fight. Another man, still to be identified, died later in hospital,” said Makhubela.
Makhubela told Rekord that the four suspects were arrested after church members who witnessed the incident cooperated with the police.
“We believe that more suspects were involved, and we are continuing with the investigation,” he said.
A Mabopane taxi driver who is also a witness in the case told Rekord that someone from the church hired him to pick up the alleged assailants on the corner Skinner and Schubart streets in town then drop them off at the church.
“I found them waiting next to McDonalds, four of the men with big muscles spoke in a foreign language, either Igbo or Youruba [spoken in Nigeria],” the taxi driver said.
“I was only told to drop them off at the church and wait for them to finish the work that they were supposed to do and take them back to town,” he added.
He said he was shocked to hear commotion from the church as soon as the men had entered.
It was believed that someone who was against the new leadership committee of the church ordered the hit.
One of the deceased was buried on Monday, and only family was allowed to the burial service.
Rekord had been informed that the fight was about the control of the popular church founded by Glayton Modise who died on 9 February after a short illness.
The church has been embroiled in litigation and succession battles since.
Last Thursday, the North Gauteng High Court set aside its March interim order which had placed the church’s finances and administrative services under the control of the founder’s son Tshepiso Modise.
Following the fight between the men, a mass brawl broke out with various factions of the congregation throwing stones at each other.
“More congregants were badly injured [then] and four cars were damaged,” police said.
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