It has become a trend for congregants to pack court galleries to support pastors whenever they are accused of wrongdoing. They descend on the premises, placards in hand, declaring their full support for their “spiritual leaders”.

As Enlightened Christian Gathering pastor Shepherd Bushiri, his wife Mary and a church member appeared in the Pretoria magistrate's court yesterday for a bail application, scores of his supporters were outside praying for them to be released on bail...