EMALAHLENI – A well-known pastor from Vlaklaagte was convicted of rape and robbery by the Witbank Regional Court yesterday.
He raped a woman at gunpoint from Vosman who was hitchhiking on December 29. He also robbed her off her belongings.
The court heard how on that fateful day, Pastor Chris Derrick Gabisani Xaba from Charismatic Church in near KwaMhlanga, offered a lift to the woman who was desperate to get to Mbombela. As soon as she got inside the car, Xaba told her that he needed to collect other commuters who were heading also heading Mbombela.
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“He drove to a secluded bush at a certain farm near Witbank where he pulled out a firearm and started behaving violently against the the woman. He further threatened to kill her should she resist to cooperate with his orders. When it was clear, Xaba brutally raped the victim and robbed her of her personal belongings, including the clothes she was wearing at the time. In order to scare the daylights out of her, he fired a gun shot before leaving her stranded and unbelievable naked,” the court heard.
The victim somehow managed to maneuver her way from the bushes until she reached a certain house where she was offered help and taken to the nearest police station. The matter was then reported and a case of rape was opened with an additional charge of robbery. At that time, the suspect was unknown, neither did the registration plate of the vehicle he was driving.
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“The investigation paid off in March 2020 when a there was a breakthrough when located Xaba at his hiding place in KwaMhlanga. During his arrest, police found him in possession of two stolen cars. They also discovered that Xaba has another rape case which he committed at Kwaggafontein in December 2019 and he was in fact out on bail.”
These facts presented before the court in opposing his bail application and he remanded in custody until his conviction.
