THE 20-year-old man who claimed that Bishop Ramarumo Lekganyane was his father has been proven a liar.
THE 20-year-old man who claimed that Bishop Ramarumo Lekganyane was his father has been proven a liar.
DNA tests have cleared the Zion Christian Church leader. The Johannesburg family court yesterday released the results of the test after blood samples were taken from the bishop, the claimant and his mother.
Sowetan reported in May that Tshepo Lerata, who called himself Tshepo Barnabas Edward Lekganyane Jnr, was claiming R50000 monthly maintenance from the leader of Africa's biggest church.
Lerata, of Orange Farm, had approached the Johannesburg family court with his claim and demand for maintenance.
He accused the charismatic bishop of neglecting him while his "siblings" were making merry with the bishop's glory.
This led to senior magistrate Daniel Thulare summoning the clergyman to court.
But Lerata's case appeared shaky when his mother, Emelia Lerata, insisted he had mental problems.
He hit back, saying she was not his biological mother.
Lerata insisted his biological mother was Elizabeth Lekganyane, the bishop's wife.
He had earlier told Sowetan: "Emelia (Lerata) was our nanny while I was staying in Moria (the church's headquarters, outside Polokwane). She stole me from my dad and mom and brought me up as her own son."
Yesterday the man suffered a humiliating blow when Thulare announced that the results excluded Lekganyane as his father and instead confirmed that he was Emelia's son.
Speaking to Sowetan over the phone shortly after the court proceedings, the downhearted Lerata remained defiant that he was Lekganyane's son.
"As far as I am concerned the results are still pending because my dad (Lekganyane) did not pay the full amount to the laboratory. At the moment I remain the bishop's son. I want him to tell me in my face that I am not his son," said the defeated man.
Sowetan later caught up with Lerata and, incredibly, found him in possession of the results confirming he was not Lekganyane's son.
PATERNITY TEST CLEARS ZCC BISHOP
THE 20-year-old man who claimed that Bishop Ramarumo Lekganyane was his father has been proven a liar.
THE 20-year-old man who claimed that Bishop Ramarumo Lekganyane was his father has been proven a liar.
DNA tests have cleared the Zion Christian Church leader. The Johannesburg family court yesterday released the results of the test after blood samples were taken from the bishop, the claimant and his mother.
Sowetan reported in May that Tshepo Lerata, who called himself Tshepo Barnabas Edward Lekganyane Jnr, was claiming R50000 monthly maintenance from the leader of Africa's biggest church.
Lerata, of Orange Farm, had approached the Johannesburg family court with his claim and demand for maintenance.
He accused the charismatic bishop of neglecting him while his "siblings" were making merry with the bishop's glory.
This led to senior magistrate Daniel Thulare summoning the clergyman to court.
But Lerata's case appeared shaky when his mother, Emelia Lerata, insisted he had mental problems.
He hit back, saying she was not his biological mother.
Lerata insisted his biological mother was Elizabeth Lekganyane, the bishop's wife.
He had earlier told Sowetan: "Emelia (Lerata) was our nanny while I was staying in Moria (the church's headquarters, outside Polokwane). She stole me from my dad and mom and brought me up as her own son."
Yesterday the man suffered a humiliating blow when Thulare announced that the results excluded Lekganyane as his father and instead confirmed that he was Emelia's son.
Speaking to Sowetan over the phone shortly after the court proceedings, the downhearted Lerata remained defiant that he was Lekganyane's son.
"As far as I am concerned the results are still pending because my dad (Lekganyane) did not pay the full amount to the laboratory. At the moment I remain the bishop's son. I want him to tell me in my face that I am not his son," said the defeated man.
Sowetan later caught up with Lerata and, incredibly, found him in possession of the results confirming he was not Lekganyane's son.
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