EVERY HISBAH OFFICER IS A PEACE AND SECURITY AMBASSADOR IN HIS COMMUNITY.(PHOTO). #PRESS RELEASE
A South African pastor, Sabata Mariti, has been sentenced to 55 years in prison by the Free State High Court in Welkom for raping three underage members of his church group, known as the “Team of Prophecy.”
According to police spokesperson Sergeant Mahlomola Kareli, the 41-year-old pastor lured the victims — aged between 13 and 23 — to his room under the guise of needing help with TikTok, before assaulting them between July and August 2022.
The court heard that Mariti used his spiritual influence to groom and exploit the girls, threatening to harm them and their families if they spoke out. The abuse came to light after one victim’s mother found incriminating WhatsApp messages.
Despite denying the charges, medical reports and chat evidence secured his conviction. The court described the offences as a “humiliating and degrading violation of human dignity” before handing down the sentence.
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