KwaMhlanga – A convicted leader of Good Shepherd Church at Sun City AA, near KwaMhlanga, Pastor John Masilela, has been sentenced to 55 years in prison for molesting eight young men aged between 15 and 20.
The errant 46-year-old man “of God” was sentenced by the KwaMhlanga Regional Court in Mpumalanga on Friday.
Pastor Masilela was earlier found guilty of rape, sexual assault, and child pornography.
The court heard how the wayward pastor violated the youths under the pretext of skilling them about manhood activities and the “advanced word of God.”
Evidence presented showed how Pastor Masilela would summon the boys to his church.
When the victims arrived at the church he told them to undress themselves before sexually abusing them.
The pervert pastor also ordered his victims to send nude photographs of themselves to him.
Pastor Masilela coerced his victims not to divulge the abuse.
He told his victims that they were “specially chosen by God” and warned that revealing the incidents of abuse would erode their luck in life.
Pastor Masilela committed the dastardly deeds at his church between 2012 and 2020.
He was arrested in 2020 after one of his victims broke his silence.
Commenting on the matter, Mpumalanga SA Police Service spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdhluli said the harsh 55-year sentence meted out to the pastor was welcome.
“The provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Semakaleng Manamela has welcomed the hefty sentence imposed upon the pastor,” Mdhuli said.
