Prophet kicks bishop in groin

A bishop was kicked in the crotch by an angry prophet during an unholy brawl that broke out after a broadcast at a Free State community radio station.

Bishop Sipho Mosia of the Be Born Again Ministries in Steynsrus told Sowetan he was given the martial arts-style beating by Prophet Nicholas Ramoroa, the resident preacher and board member at Mozolo FM in Kroonstad.

Mosia said Ramoroa added insult to injury to his kung fu-style attack by pouring orange juice on him.

He said the attack was sparked by his sermon in which he chastised false prophets.

He said when he stepped out of the studio after his sermon about a week ago he was greeted by a seething Ramoroa who shouted at him, saying: "Stop insulting other preachers and preach the word!"

Mosia said he had not mentioned names on air and did not know Ramoroa from a bar of soap.

He then allegedly unleashed a kick that would have made famous martial arts movie star Jackie Chan proud. The kick landed in Mosia's groin, sending him crashing to the floor.

But Ramoroa wasn't done, giving the pastor another hard kick to his backside.

Mosia said he did not fight back as he is a child of God.

Yesterday, Mosia said Ramoroa then proceeded to call him ungodly names as he lay writhing in pain. "He called me the devil's pastor," Mosia said.

He said he didn't fight back because he was following the good teachings of the Bible that he should offer the other cheek when attacked.

Mosia claims Ramoroa even threatened him with death if he continued with his crusade in the sleepy farming town .

"I went to the car and he said he would kill me. I told him I was not afraid to die and that I would expose the kind of pastor he was," said Mosia.

"When I got [to the car] he said that he was ready to die; he was confrontational.

"He now claims that I assaulted him and all I did was push him because he had his finger in my face. He was pointing at me. I was trying to remove it."

Ramoroa did not blame the devil for his actions; he promptly apologised to Mosia after another pastor reprimanded him.

"I confronted him to explain that what he said on the radio made people fight and he didn't have to do that as a pastor," said Ramoroa.

"I went to him because I'm on the board and radio is a public platform and not every listener was [Christian]. He talks badly about other people."

Station manager Nyiko Mathebula said he witnessed the vicious kick that floored Mosia.

But he was quick to distance Mozolo FM from Ramoroa's antics, saying: "He did it as a pastor and not a board member in the name of the station."

mashotol@sowetan.co.za