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By Everson Luhanga
- The Hawks have arrested four suspects, including a sitting judge and a church leader, for a plot to fix a church court case with millions in bribes.
- Investigators say money flowed between the suspects and warn more arrests could follow as they probe the church succession scandal.
A judge and a church leader have been arrested for allegedly trying to buy a court ruling in a battle over control of a powerful South African church.
The Hawks swooped on four suspects on Tuesday night, 25 November, during a late-night operation in Pretoria. The group includes a judge from the Pretoria High Court, a senior church figure, and two others.
They are accused of being part of a scheme to sway a court case by channelling millions of rand to ensure the church leader won a succession dispute.
The four are charged with corruption and money laundering. They are due to appear in the Pretoria Serious Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday, 26 November.
The case is linked to a civil court battle over who should take control of the church, which has not been named publicly. The Hawks say the church leader, believed to be the main suspect, allegedly paid the judge to rule in his favour.
Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said the suspects were arrested after investigators followed a money trail and secured warrants. She said the team uncovered a string of suspicious transactions worth millions.
“As a result we obtained warrants for the identified individuals and traced a money trail worth millions of rand between them,” said Mogale.
Acting national head of the Hawks, Lieutenant General Siphosihle Nkosi, praised the arrest team and said the unit remains committed to cleaning up corruption.
“These arrests demonstrate our unwavering commitment to tackling corruption at all levels,” said Nkosi.
He said the investigation is still underway and more suspects could be arrested.
The arrests strike at the heart of South Africa’s courts and churches — two of the country’s most trusted institutions. Neither the church nor the suspects have been publicly named yet, but they are linked to a “well-known” religious group, according to the authorities.
The court is expected to reveal more details of the alleged plot during the suspects’ first appearance.
Pictured above: Pretoria High Court.
Image source: Pretoria High Court
