South African Pastor Paseka "Mboro" Motsoeneng and bodyguard denied bail on kidnapping, weapon, and assault charges in a custody dispute.
South African pastor Paseka "Mboro" Motsoeneng and his bodyguard were denied bail in the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court on charges including kidnapping, possession of dangerous weapons, and assault. Motsoeneng and his associates were accused of forcefully removing two children from Matsediso Primary School in Katlehong due to custody disputes. The trio faces numerous charges, including kidnapping, possession of unlicensed firearms, possession of a prohibited firearm, assault by way of threat, pointing of firearms, discharging a firearm, and malicious property damage. The state prosecutor argued that releasing the accused could endanger the safety of witnesses, but defense lawyer Phillip Dhlamini argued that Mboro's congregation needed him to be released as his detention "without basis goes against public interest and rule of law."