Pastor handed two life sentences for raping three children

The Pretoria High Court sitting in Benoni Magistrate’s Court on Friday, sentenced Pastor Lucky Mfanivele Magagula to two life terms for the rape of minors between the ages of three and nine years old.

The 36-year-old man was found guilty of three counts of rape, five counts of exposing children to pornography, six counts of sexual assault, and four counts of exposing genitals to children and sexual grooming.

The judge ordered Magagula be added in the national register for sexual offenders and that he be declared unfit to possess a firearm.

 Magagula was a pastor of Itshe Lengumbi church in Barcelona, a small community where the victims lived.

“The three-year-old minor was a neighbour to Magagula when he raped her in February 2021. She had gone to his house to play with her relative, who was also related to him. After the incident, he confessed to raping the child during a family meeting,” Lumka Mahanjana, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson said.

She went on to explain that he raped the eight and nine-year-old minors, and further sexually assaulted, and sexually groomed them together with three others between 2020 and 2021 when they went to his house for choir practice and bible study.

“This was reported to the police after a brother of his two victims, saw his sisters play and undress, the brother then reported what he saw his siblings do to his grandmother.

“When the grandmother enquired with the three-year-old minor she confessed and told her that was what the pastor was doing to them. The grandmother told the parents of the children, who then apprehended Magagula and took him to the police station. He was then arrested on 11 February 2021 and has been in custody since, after the state successfully opposed bail.In court, he pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.”

In aggravation of sentence, prosecutor Juliet Makgwatha told the court that Magagula was a pastor in the community and the children trusted him.

Makgwatha said Magagula was in a position of trust but betrayed that trust and violated children in the worst way.

Source: IOL, The South African, Times Live, image from Times Live: NPA Communications

Doctor Mahlaule

Doctor Mahlaule previously worked as a Freelance Journalist at Find-it SA where he was responsible for writing news articles and sharing them on social media platforms. Doctor Mahlaule holds a Diploma in Journalism, BA in Communication Science and a BA Honours in Media Studies. Doctor began his journey as a knowledge Management and Communications Intern at Zenex Foundation. He was responsible for support in event management, social media, website maintenance, writing and brand management. On weekends Doctor attends prison ministry and shares the scriptures with inmates at Krugersdorp prison and plays soccer in the afternoon on some weekends. He has a passion for reading and writing and enjoys going out with friends and socialising in his spare time. He has a one-year-old son and is planning on getting married soon. When asked about what keeps him going, he said: “My family keeps me going. I’m the man I am because I come from a loving home. I have a very supportive family who always encourages me to keep pushing hard.”

See Full Bio