Chester Makana

Chester Makana

A matric student who was preparing for her English second language examination was allegedly raped by a pastor who claimed he could help her pass the subject.

Police said the 16-year-old girl from Makonde village outside Thohoyandou told her parents that she had a problem with the English paper.

The parents advised her to consult the pastor as he was believed to have helped many students pass matric.

The girl was allegedly raped on Monday following the pastor's tips on how to pass the subject.

Police spokesman Captain Mashudu Malelo said the pastor allegedly instructed the victim to bring soil from her school yard in order to pass English.

He said the man then took the teenage girl into the bushes "to pray for her".

When they arrived in the bushes, the 39-year-old man instructed her to lie down naked. He then allegedly raped her.

Malelo said a case of rape was opened yesterday after the victim told her parents about the ordeal.

The girl told police that she was raped by the man who she thought would help her "overcome an educational problem".