Benjamin Bheki Dingiso, the leader of Arise and Shine Gospel Church, took the stand in the Johannesburg High Court on Friday to testify in his defence against allegations of sexual violation. The 51-year-old pastor is facing 31 counts of rape, sexual grooming of children, sexual assault, and attempted rape.
Dingiso, whose responsibilities at the church included counselling church members spiritually and emotionally, vehemently denied the accusations brought against him. He stated that he had never sexually violated any of the boys who have accused him of rape.
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The National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Phindi Mjonondwane, revealed that eight boys, aged between 15 and 20, had encountered Dingiso as church members from 2009 to 2021. The state alleges that Dingiso manipulated these boys by convincing them that they had prophetic gifts from God that required training.
According to Mjonondwane, Dingiso allegedly told the boys that in order for them to understand their prophetic gift, they needed to bond with him physically and spiritually while being naked. It is alleged that he then sexually violated and/or raped them during these encounters.
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During his testimony, Dingiso refuted these claims, stating that he only offered prophetic training to the boys. He maintained that the physical and spiritual bonding he engaged in with them was purely for the purpose of mentoring and guiding them in their spiritual journeys.
The trial will resume on Monday for the cross-examination of the accused. The court will have the opportunity to further scrutinize the evidence presented and determine the credibility of Dingiso’s defense.
