DURBAN - A Nigerian pastor based in Durban, charged with human trafficking, was so connected that he allegedly had a senior Hawks official “in his pocket”. This made it possible for him to pre-empt investigators’ moves and evade his arrest, the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court heard on Wednesday.
During the pastor’s bail application, details emerged of how he evaded his arrest in Bloemfontein over the Easter weekend. The investigating officer Warrant Officer Peter Plaatjies told the court that the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (known as the Hawks) in Port Elizabeth had received information that after the Easter crusade, the pastor intended to leave South Africa.
The investigating team travelled to Bloemfontein to attend a church service to make the arrest. However, they later realised their plans would reach a dead end.
“Outside the church as (the pastor) was leaving, we saw BMWs and Land Rovers. He (the pastor) got into one of the vehicles and drove away,” said Plaatjies.
“In one of the vehicles a blue light switched on and traffic was being diverted. We knew then that cops were part of (the pastor’s) entourage.”
The next day, the investigating team went to another church service in Bloemfontein where a Hawks official, claimed to have been in the pastor’s pocket and a part of his bodyguard entourage, took to the podium.
“He identified himself as a Hawks member and told congregants that other Hawks officials were in the church.”
Outside court, Robert Netshiunda, Hawks spokesperson, said the Hawks were investigating.