Delayed start for pastor Mboro bail bid due to heavy court caseload

Katlehong pastor Paseka “Mboro” Motsoeneng threatened to approach a higher court should his fresh bid for bail not be heard as scheduled on Monday.

This was revealed by his legal team before his return appearance in the Palm Ridge magistrate's court.

Motsoeneng and his bodyguard have put in a fresh bail application “on new facts” after their previous bid failed in August. The duo, and a third accused who was granted bail, face a raft of charges, including kidnapping, possession of a dangerous weapon, discharging a firearm and pointing a firearm.

The self-proclaimed prophet shocked the country and his community when videos emerged of him wielding a panga and being escorted by an armed entourage while entering Matshediso Primary School. One of his private bodyguards entered the school and walked out carrying two crying children, who are the subject of a custody dispute since the death of their mother of illness earlier this year.

Advocate Moafrika Wa Maila, part of Motsoeneng's legal team, vented the legal team's frustrations amid delays in hearing the matter. He said his client remained jovial and upbeat despite the developments in the case.

Proceedings were delayed during the morning session, apparently due to issues in allocating a courtroom.

Reacting to this, Maila said: “We are worried with how our case is being handled and how our client's rights are being compromised. This matter was here last week and it has been postponed to this day [Monday]. We were told that by 8.30am this matter would start and we came here early and we are still waiting. We don't know, first, which court we're going to. Second, we're not happy that we haven't been given a way forward on what is happening.”

Maila said Motsoeneng's team didn't want to “appear to be attacking” the judiciary with the issues raised but they believed there was a “crisis” in how the case was being handled.

“We went to the prosecutor's office and asked him what's happening. He told us he's got other matters, he will see this later. [So] we want to see what the court will do. Should they entertain our matter, we'll present our application, but should they not we'll have no choice but to go to a higher court. What else can we do?”

The case was expected to be called at about midday on Monday.

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