Pastor Sentenced To Two Life Terms For Rape Of Children
The Pretoria High Court sitting in Benoni Magistrate’s Court, sentenced Pastor Lucky Mfanivele Magagula (36), to two life terms for rape, exposing children to pornography, sexual assault, exposing his genitals to children and sexually grooming six minor children, aged 3,4,6,8,9 years old. The Judge ordered that his name be added to the national register for sexual offenders and that he be declared unfit to possess a firearm.
This is after Judge Jay Monyemangeni, found him guilty of 3 counts of rape, 5 counts of exposing children to pornography, 6 counts of sexual assault, and 4 counts of exposing genitals to children and sexual grooming on 05 August 2022. Magagula is a Pastor of Itshe Lengumbi Church, in Barcelona, a small community where all his victims reside. The 3-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.
He raped, sexually assaulted, and sexually groomed the other 5 children between 2020 and 2021 when they had gone to his house for choir practice and bible study. This was reported to the police, after a brother of two of his 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 4-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, Adv. Juliet Makgwatha told the court that Magagula was a pastor in the community, and the children trusted him. He was in a position of trust; he opened the church to help the community, instead, he betrayed that trust and violented children in the most gruesome manner. She, therefore, asked the court to impose a sentence that will send a strong message. In delivering his sentence Judge Monyemangeni agreed with the state that the children were robbed of their childhood, Magagula exposed them to something that will affect them for the rest of their lives.
The Director of Public Prosecution Adv. Sibongile Mzinyathi applauded the good work done by the prosecutor, the court preparation officer, and the FCS investigator Sergeant Emily Sbongile Mahlangu. He also hopes that this sentence will send a strong message that crimes against vulnerable groups, children and women will not be tolerated
Issued by:
Lumka Mahanjana:
NPA Regional Spokesperson
Gauteng Division: Pretoria
073 002 0000