Pastor gets 10 years for raping teenager

A PASTOR from Opuwo has been jailed for 10 years for raping a 14-year-old girl.

Samuel Tjatindi (45) from the Jesus Apostle Healing Church was found guilty by Magistrate Paulus Noa in the Opuwo Regional Court on July 23. He was accused of raping the girl at Okapembambu village on the night of April 22.The court heard that Pastor Tjatindi was invited to spiritually cleanse a house in the village.Apparently, after the ceremony the Pastor decided to spend the night at the house.During the night the girl felt that her heart was beating too fast, and Tjatindi gave her medicine to drink.According to Tjatindi, the medicine was for the heart problem.The teenager then fell asleep, but later woke up when she felt somebody on top of her.It was the Pastor having sexual intercourse with her.She was about to scream, but he told her to keep quiet.When she tried to leave the room to go and tell her parents, the Pastor held her arms and tried to convince her not to do so.She managed to disentangle herself and rushed off to tell her parents.When they went to confront the Pastor, he had vanished.The Pastor returned later and said he had gone into the bush to pray.The father then sent two women to inform the headman, but before they could arrive, the Pastor had left the house, taking the bedding with him.He was later arrested at Opuwo.A medical examination confirmed that the complainant had had sexual intercourse.However, Pastor Tjatindi denied that he was the responsible party.Magistrate Noa told Tjatindi that the court was satisfied that the evidence proved beyond reasonable doubt that Tjatindi had committed the crime.Magistrate Noa said the victim was a young child and, by virtue of her age, was quite vulnerable.She had trusted the Pastor and had not expected him to do such an evil thing to her.”The pastor was an adult man who was 45 years at that time,” Magistrate Noa said.”The only appropriate sentence under the circumstances is a custodial sentence that can serve as a lesson, not only to you, but to other members of society who are like minded.So I give you ten years’ imprisonment.”He was accused of raping the girl at Okapembambu village on the night of April 22.The court heard that Pastor Tjatindi was invited to spiritually cleanse a house in the village.Apparently, after the ceremony the Pastor decided to spend the night at the house.During the night the girl felt that her heart was beating too fast, and Tjatindi gave her medicine to drink.According to Tjatindi, the medicine was for the heart problem.The teenager then fell asleep, but later woke up when she felt somebody on top of her.It was the Pastor having sexual intercourse with her.She was about to scream, but he told her to keep quiet.When she tried to leave the room to go and tell her parents, the Pastor held her arms and tried to convince her not to do so.She managed to disentangle herself and rushed off to tell her parents.When they went to confront the Pastor, he had vanished.The Pastor returned later and said he had gone into the bush to pray.The father then sent two women to inform the headman, but before they could arrive, the Pastor had left the house, taking the bedding with him.He was later arrested at Opuwo.A medical examination confirmed that the complainant had had sexual intercourse.However, Pastor Tjatindi denied that he was the responsible party.Magistrate Noa told Tjatindi that the court was satisfied that the evidence proved beyond reasonable doubt that Tjatindi had committed the crime.Magistrate Noa said the victim was a young child and, by virtue of her age, was quite vulnerable.She had trusted the Pastor and had not expected him to do such an evil thing to her.”The pastor was an adult man who was 45 years at that time,” Magistrate Noa said.”The only appropriate sentence under the circumstances is a custodial sentence that can serve as a lesson, not only to you, but to other members of society who are like minded.So I give you ten years’ imprisonment.”