The case against Seven Angels Church leader Banele Mancoba and his co-accused Siphesihle Mafikwana, was postponed in the Ngcobo Magistrate's Court on Monday.
Mancoba is expected to reappear in court on Tuesday after the two were arrested over the weekend and were charged with conspiracy to commit robbery with aggravating circumstances. Both said they will conduct their own legal defence and opted not to apply for bail.
It is not yet clear if this charge is related to Ngcobo police shooting and subsequent arrest of six suspects at Mancoba's Seven Angels Church.
Mancoba is expected to reappear at Ngcobo Magistrate's Court on Tuesday to be charged with rape, sexual grooming and sexual exploitation, following an investigation by a task team led by South Africa's Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (better known as the Hawks) and comprises of various South African Police Service units which include General Detectives and Crime Intelligence.
Police rescued over 100 women and children at Mancoba property. Police National Commissioner General Khehla Sithole alleged that some of them were kept in those premises as sex slaves.
The Seven Angels Church has been the centre of controversy after a shoot-out with police which led to the arrest of six men after the attack on the Ngcobo Police Station which left five police officers dead two weeks ago. Police killed seven suspects at the church and arrested 10 people. Six were later released.
On February 26, four people appeared in the Ngcobo Magistrate's Court for the murder of the five police officers, attempted murder of the officer who was admitted at the hospital after being shot at his neck and robbery with aggravating circumstances. Two more suspects also appeared at the same court last week for the same charges faced by the other four. All six are expected to be back in court on Thursday for a bail application.
- African News Agency (ANA)
