'Take me, not my prophet,' church member tells court

The Hillbrow Magistrate's Court was taken to church yesterday when Koabeng Qhobela, a member of the Revelation Church of God, took to the stand to defend allegations he had threatened the chairman of a commission investigating alleged dodgy practices in South African churches.

Qhobela sent an e-mail last year to Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva, chairman of the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities.

In the e-mail Qhobela called Mkhwanazi-Xaluva a "servant of Satan", saying she would have a "dark cloud" over her life for summoning his preacher, Prophet Samuel Radebe, to appear before the commission. Radebe failed to appear before the commission.

Charged with two counts of intimidation, crimen injuria and obstructing the work of the commission, Qhobela took to the scriptures on the stand.

Much to the joy of church members in court, Qhobela quoted from Psalms, Isaiah and the Book of Deuteronomy, which warn people against disobeying God.

He claimed to see the darkness that would surround Mkhwanazi-Xaluva with his "spiritual eye" if Radebe were jailed for not submitting to the commission.

The National Prosecuting Authority has yet to charge Radebe for defying the inquiry.

Denying he had threatened Mkhwanazi-Xaluva, Qhobela said: "Out of love for Mkhwanazi-Xaluva, I begged her if she could rather arrest me and take me to court in place of Radebe as I could foresee more danger when he is in prison."

He said when Radebe had been summoned to the commission, he had travelled to "the mountains" to speak directly to God.

"Mkhwanazi-Xaluva was fighting God directly," Qhobela said.

His defence lawyer had earlier applied for the charges to be dropped but magistrate Jacob Shabangu dismissed the request.

Radebe had been summoned with other religious leaders to appear before the commission to provide church financial statements.

The commission is investigating the commercialisation of religion and abuse of beliefs.

Radebe refused to appear and Qhobela took it upon himself to go to the commission and warn Mkhwanazi-Xaluva of the dangers of pursuing Radebe. The case was adjourned to January 12 when the state will cross-examine Qhobela.