DRC pastor accused of rape denied bail

Pastor William Emeka (43), who is accused of raping four of his female congregants last year, was denied bail by the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, says a report on the IoL site. Emeka, from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), faces four counts of rape, two of sexual assault and one charge for being in SA illegally. While handing down judgment, Magistrate MK Chauke said Emeka failed to prove that exceptional circumstances existed for him to be granted bail in terms of section 60(1) of the Criminal Procedure Act. ‘There is nothing specific in this application that was said to be exceptional,’ said Chauke. He added that evidence was previously presented to the court that Emeka had fraudulently applied for a South African residence permit. ‘It is the finding of this court that you are in this country illegally. I don’t find it to be in the interests of justice for you to be given bail.’ An immigration officer from Home Affairs, Clement Masemola, testified earlier that Emeka was in the country illegally because the pages of his passport were not stamped. Emeka’s defence attorney, Andrew Maoba, presented the court with another passport belonging to his client. The second passport was stamped once by the DRC Government and once by SA’s Home Affairs. Both stamps were dated 26 March 2003. Masemola confirmed under cross-examination that the Home Affairs stamp in the passport was authentic. The matter was adjourned to 24 May. Emeka was arrested in November last year following allegations that he asked four female congregants to take off their clothes before smearing them with anointing oil. He then allegedly raped them.