EASTERN CAPE REVEREND HANDED HIMSELF IN AFTER ALLEGATIONS OF RAPE
A 62 year old reverend handed himself over to the police station on Monday morning after the state opened a case of rape against him. Enoch Mthuthuzeli Ndlaku from Methodist Church of Southern Africa, Transkei Region who was also the secretary to the Bishop is accused of raping a young girl at a mission house at eMaXesibeni in the Eastern Cape province. According to reports the incident happened in 2012 and the victim was 16 years of age then.
Ndlaku handed himself over to eMaxesibeni police station. He then appeared in the magistrate court on the same day. According to allegations, Ndlaku’s victim was one of the young girls who stayed with Reverend at a mission. The girls stayed in the mission for purposes of being prayed for because of their different health problems. It is said that this happened a number of times. The young girl reported the matter in the same year but the church leaders including her mother swept the incident under the carpet in fear of embarrassing the church and the Reverend.
Reports are saying that the victim’s situation deteriorated to an extent that she could not cope with her studies. There was a time where she could not go to school. Counselling was organised for the victim so that she could be in the right state of mind.
In 2021 her ex wife Nonstikelelo Ndlaku reported the matter to the Bishop of the church. Reverend Ndlaku who is also the Bishop’s Secretary confessed raping the young girl to the Bishop. The matter was then taken to police for investigation . On Monday last week a warrant of arrest was issued for Reverend Ndlaku to be arrested. Police went to arrest him from his home on Tuesday but could not find him. Apparently he phoned the police telling them that he is in Lusikisiki to see his lawyer. That is when it was decided that he must hand himself in today. Since the mother did not want to open the case the state decided to take over and open the case on behalf of the victim. The case was remanded for further investigations to the 15th of August with accused in custody.
