Priest Gets 10 Years for Sex with Primary School Girl
By Calistus Bosaletswe
The Voice
November 6, 2009
http://www.thevoicebw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1778:sex-
pastor-jailed&catid=34:news&Itemid=53
A self-styled 'celebrity' priest, who claimed he could perform miracles, was sentenced to 10 years behind bars for defiling an underage schoolgirl.
Samuel Boitumelo Ntsebele, 23, was convicted after admitting to having sex with a 14-year-old member of his congregation. There was a brief scuffle in court as excited members of the Eloyi Church in Gaborone jostled towards the disgraced pastor after the magistrate passed sentence.
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Amid chaotic scenes at the Extension II Magistrate's Court in Gaborone, disgraced pastor Samuel Ntsebele was lead away to begin his 10-year-jail sentence. He was still muttering that he thought his 'victim' was older.
The well-known Eloyi pastor, who has been dubbed a 'man of miracles' amongst some of his congregation, showed little emotion as Magistrate Abigail Masawi read out her verdict.
There was a feeling of shock amongst the many church members who crammed into the court to hear the verdict. One middle-aged man, who asked not to be named, described how Ntsebele was known as a 'man of miracles' because he often healed people and helped with their problems. "He was well known and many believed he had special powers. But his help always came with a price, and I asked myself how a man of God could ask for money, and that made me suspicious," he said.
When passing sentence the magistrate described the man of God as morally flawed, saying that his values 'left a lot to be desired' after he had taken advantage of an 'immature and irresponsible' young girl.
Ntsebele's defence counsel Moesi Moesi argued that the girl's physical features suggested that she was older than her age. "Because of that the court should consider that the accused was not aware of the girl's real age," he said.
He added: "There was no force when the alleged sex took place. It is my view that the victim never suffered trauma."
Moesi then pleaded with the court to grant a suspended sentence, and asked for leniency as his client was still a youth.
The court had earlier heard that Ntsebele had known the girl since primary school, and on the night in question he had picked her up from a baby shower at around 10 in the evening and took her to his house.
When she did not return home until after midnight, her mother became suspicious and questioned her of her whereabouts. She admitted that she had been with the pastor, and the matter was then reported to the police.
In court the girl's mother conceded that her daughter was big in stature and had big breasts. "It does happen that when we are in town together some men wink at her thinking that she is a grown up."
The complainant recounted that Ntsebele had queried why, "I was no longer a virgin since it was his first time to find himself between my thighs." She replied that he should not ask her because he had kids whom she never asked about, although she admitted that she had had sex before.
In passing sentence Magistrate Masawi said that young girls were vulnerable members of the society and cases of defilement in the country were prevalent. She said despite the sex being consensual the legislature saw it fit to criminalize such conduct. The magistrate noted that this was meant to protect sexual exploitation amongst girls under the age of sixteen.
She added that she was not convinced that Ntsebele did not know the girl's real age, as he was aware that she was schooling at a local primary school.
The disgraced priest avoided the prospect of a lengthier sentence if he had proven to be HIV positive. She said in this case no such test was ordered because the accused, until the time of conviction, was out on bail. According to the evidence brought before the court, sex was protected as a condom was used.
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