A pastor has been made to go through a most traumatic experience after being accused of committing a brutal crime.
The pastor's church was burned. Photos by Elizabeth Langa
A South African pastor has been assaulted by an angry mob following an accusation leveled against him. The pastor has been acused of killing a woman identified as Ntombizodwa Nyambi.
According to Daily Sun, when Ntombizodwa Nyambi, 20, was found dead in a sugar cane field, residents thought they knew who had murdered her.
They assumed that since she was last seen at a prayer session on Friday night, the pastor must be responsible. So on Monday they stormed the pastor’s house and church and burned both buildings to the ground.
Residents of Phakama Village, near Komatipoort in Mpumalanga, claimed they had not intended to set the house and church alight.
Clement Nkuna, 32, said: “All we wanted when we went to see the pastor were answers. When we got to his house, he became hostile and members of his church pulled out guns and started shooting.”
Ntombizodwa’s murder was the third similar incident in the area. Nomsa Masuku, 24, was found dead in a neighbouring church’s dustbin in 2012.
In January 2013, Martha Mabunda, 29, went missing.
A few months later, a child found her remains in a sack. Martha’s brother, Richard, 29, said he believed all three women were killed by the same person.
Tonga police said they were investigating cases of murder and malicious damage to property.