Pastor beaten up and arrested

A pastor who was assaulted, allegedly by two other pastors and a policeman, appeared in court yesterday.

Emotions ran high outside the GaMatlala Magistrate's Court in Limpopo, with community members calling for the arrest of the policeman and the release of the pastor.

The marchers were calling for the removal of the local police station commander.

Pastor Desmond Chuene-Nong of Marebana village outside Polokwane was released on bail of R1000. Chuene-Nong, 26, was arrested and charged with housebreaking and theft.

He allegedly stole music system speakers and an amplifier.

Community leader Lawrence Shilabye said yesterday that two pastors from a rival church accompanied by a police officer went to Chuene-Nong's house and accused him of breaking into one of the pastor's homes. They assaulted him badly, after which the police officer arrested him.

The incident happened on Friday.

Shilabye said: "The policeman has clearly twisted the facts.

"This pastor was not supposed to have been arrested at all.

"They are covering up after realising how badly they had assaulted him."

Angry residents stoned the unmarked police vehicle when the pastor was being taken away.

He appeared in court with his 76-year-old grandmother, who was charged with malicious damage to property.

Police said she damaged their handcuffs.

Shilabye accused the police of being biased and of abusing state resources to destabilise the community.

"I find the story of an old granny breaking handcuffs to be unbelievable. We must look at those handcuffs, they might be fake. Maybe police use fake handcuffs."

Limpopo police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mohale Ramatseba said an internal investigation had been started over the conduct of the policeman .

"As police we are investigating a case of malicious damage to property, house breaking and assault," Ramatseba said.