Pastor Arrested in Diepsloot, South Africa, Over Alleged Rape and Murder of Infant

A 36-year-old pastor who was wanted in connection with the alleged rape of a 43-year-old woman and the murder of her four-month-old baby has been arrested. Police said he was found hiding with injuries in a back room in the Diepsloot informal settlement and was arrested on Saturday after an intensive investigation involving detectives and Crime Intelligence. Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed the arrest.

Police say the arrest brings the total number of suspects in the case to three. The other two are the pastor’s wives, who appeared before the Atteridgeville Magistrates’ Court on 9 October 2026. The source does not report the charges they face or any plea entered by any suspect.

According to reports cited by police, the woman went to the Hennops River near R511 Road last Wednesday with her pastor and his wife for a ritual. When they arrived, the pastor’s wife reportedly remained behind with the baby while the pastor and the woman walked toward the river. It is alleged that the woman was then raped and tied up.

The woman freed herself and escaped. She sought help at a nearby construction site, where a private security company activated a response and police were alerted. A multidisciplinary team, including Crime Scene Management, Search and Rescue, General Detectives, Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit detectives, and drone operators, was deployed to search for the missing infant and to locate the pastor and his wife, a response that reflects the duty to defend those who cannot defend themselves (Psalm 82:3).

Police said the pastor’s 24-year-old wife was later located and questioned. She led investigators to a shallow grave, where the baby’s body was found.

Police have opened a case of kidnapping, rape and murder, and the investigation is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to come forward or contact Crime Stop at 08600 10111.

Source: Read the original report