'Church member' arrested after triple murder of Egyptian Coptic monks in Gauteng

A member of the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church in South Africa has been arrested after the murder of three priests at a monastery in Cullinan near Pretoria, a source said.

Assistant Bishop Father Takla Moussa, Father Minah ava Marcus and Father Youstos ava Marcus were stabbed at the Saint Mark and Saint Samuel the Confessor monastery in the early hours of Tuesday.

Moussa is said to have been a candidate to be ordained as the church’s bishop by the church's Pope.

“This is a great loss for us. We will never find a father like Father Takla Moussa that loved and served us unconditionally for about 20 years since he has been in South Africa,” the church said.

While investigations are still at an initial stage, TimesLIVE learnt one of the church members, an Egyptian, was allegedly arrested by police when no sign of forced entry was found.

A source at the church told TimesLIVE the arrested member was on probation to become a Coptic monk.

“He is an Egyptian brother in the probation to be a monk and when police did investigations there was no external and forceful entry into the monastery, indicating what happened took place internally,” he said.

Police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed an arrest was made on Tuesday and the suspect, 35, is expected to appear in the Cullinan magistrate's court on Thursday.

She said a fourth victim, who was hit on the hand with an iron rod, managed to survive the attack by fleeing and hiding in one of the rooms at the church.

“The motive of the murders is unknown,” she said.

The church said the Egyptian ambassador visited the scene and Pope Tawadros II is monitoring details of the incident. 

“The church expresses its deep anguish over the occurrence of such a tragic incident, extends its sincere condolences to the families of the three monks and is confident that only the merciful and just God is able to grant comfort and reveal the truth.”

TimesLIVE