Stripping naked and getting close to teenage boys, kissing and touching another victim all over his body, forcing him to massage his body and penis until he ejaculated without the victim’s consent are just some of the deeds Arise and Shine Gospel Church leader, Benjamin Dingiso is accused of.
The detail of their trauma was laid out in the case being heard in the Johannesburg high court.
According to the court papers, these incidents happened when the eight victims were between the ages of 15 and 21.
Dingiso on Monday took to the stand to face cross-examination by the state.
Stating his case, Dingiso listed the duties he gave to the boys, all of whom he had identified as having a gift of prophecy which he was allegedly helping them hone.
Dingiso told the court that giving massages, washing the apostle’s shoes, work suits and prayer shawls and cleaning the churchyard, were some of the responsibilities of trainee prophets.
The 51-year-old man of the cloth, who faces 31 counts of rape, sexual grooming of children, sexual assault and attempted rape, said there was nothing untoward about these tasks.
He said during his training to become a pastor, his mentor gave him several responsibilities that he had to perform.
He told the court that when he trained to become a pastor, he had to serve his pastor by washing his car, washing his feet and accompanying him to other churches and preached when asked to.
He subsequently adopted and applied some of the responsibilities to his trainee prophets, but massages were added to his list.
Dingiso told the court that one of his alleged victims, who was 15 at the time, had chosen massages as one of his responsibilities. He claimed the teen had persuaded him and initiated the massage.
"A person will choose from the list. He was the one who was calling me; asking me whether I was available ... He would then ask for an appointment then I will schedule an appointment for him," Dingiso told the court.
He said the victim chose massages as one of his responsibilities.
On Friday during examination-in-chief, Dingiso indicated he only asked the victim once for a massage session and the other four sessions were initiated by the victim.
Prosecutor advocate Tshimangadzo Mbodi asked if his list of responsibilities was adopted from the bible, and he conceded that it wasn’t.
The incidents were alleged to have occurred between 2019 to 2021, when he claimed to have encountered several church members who he had to spiritually and emotionally counsel.
Dingiso denied he had ever sexually violated any of the eight victims.
Detailing where these incidents occurred, the indictment stated that the complainants would meet with the accused in his office where he sexually violated and/or raped them.
"The accused explained to them that he had to bond with them physically and spiritually while naked for them to understand this prophetic gift," read the indictment.
Some of the victims were children who had suffered emotionally and were sent to him for counselling sessions. It was during these sessions that he was alleged to have sexually violated and/or raped them.
"The accused sexually violated and/or raped some of the complainants at his, or their homes. At times, the accused had to travel to other churches in KwaZulu-Natal where he delivered sermon. Some of the complainants accompanied the accused on these trips during which he violated and/or raped them."
He reiterated to several complainants that to fully realise their prophetic gift, they had to comply with all his instructions and not question his methods.
— Court papers
The court heard how the pastor from Katlehong would spoil some of his victims with gifts, airtime for their cellphones and meals in restaurants. He would then request some of the victims to send him naked photos of themselves.
“He reiterated to several complainants that to fully realise their prophetic gift, they had to comply with all his instructions and not question his methods. In this manner, the complainants were groomed to ensure compliance with any act and,or, to diminish their resistance to any instruction given to them by the accused,” read the court papers.
The court heard that the pastor didn’t dispute the evidence that one of his victims, whom he said chose massage as one of the responsibilities, was only 14 at the time when he joined the church.
“I am not disputing that, but at that time I didn't know his age,” he said.
Another victim, who the pastor is accused of sexually assaulting, grooming and raping between 2018 to 2019, was about 18 to 19 when the incidents happened.
Dingiso is accused of sexually assaulting him on several occasions, including when they were in Newcastle, where he forced the victim to massage his body and penis until he ejaculated while both of them were naked.
He is also accused of committing several acts of sexual penetration on more than one occasion, “inserting his finger into the anus of [the victim], a male child about 18 to 19 years old at the time”.
Dingiso, who is in custody, returns to court for cross-examination on Tuesday.
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