Phoenix teen testifies against pastor who allegedly raped her inside his church

A PHOENIX teenager testified from behind a protective screen against her pastor who allegedly raped her inside their church.

The pastor is accused of grooming the young church member for over a year before allegedly raping her shortly after she turned 18.

The victim, who had been part of the church for a decade, was reportedly counselled by the pastor during her matric year.

The trial of pastor Lingam Sheriff Pillay, spiritual leader at the Fountain of Life Ministries in Lenham, started in the Verulam Regional Court last week.

Pillay was charged for the alleged assault and rape of the 18-year-old congregant at his church in May 2024.

He allegedly assaulted the teenager a week before the alleged rape.

He was arrested shortly after the allegedly incident and later released on bail.

It has been alleged that the pastor isolated her from the volunteer work she was doing at the church in preparation for Mother’s Day celebrations, and allegedly raped her.

The victim, who cannot be named, was the first witness for the State at the start of the trial.

The teen, who had to be hospitalised for about a week due to the injuries she sustained during the rape, had requested to the court that a screen be placed in front of her to block her view of Pillay, as she was afraid to face him.

Pillay pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Victim impact

Vanessa Chetty, founder of The Hope Foundation and member of the National Steering Committee for Gender-Based Violence (GBV), said she had assisted the victim and walked her along a path of healing.

She said when the teenager walked into the foundation's Broken Crayons Still Colour programme in Sunford, Phoenix, in July last year, she was depressed and suffered from anxiety.

“She was withdrawn and emotional. Her mom said she was depressed and had isolated herself from society. She was fresh out of high school at the time of the alleged incident. She was also on antidepressants. 

“The alleged rape happened a few days after she turned 18. However, after counselling her, we believe that the pastor had groomed her for about a year and a half before the alleged rape.

“He had gained her trust and the trust of her family. They were a part of the church for about 10 years. She was having a stressful time in matric and he had counselled her. She was vulnerable. 

“At a religious space you do not have your protective barriers up. This alleged incident has led to the girl losing her faith in God.

“She stopped going to church. But what is amazing is her quest for justice, and she was prepared to face the justice system to make sure that no other child is sexually violated,” Chetty added.

She said the Broken Crayons Still Colour programme ensured that the teenager had guidance and counselling to overcome her depression, anxiety and fears.

“When you are victim of rape, you first deal with shock, and feeling like you are being judged. You blame yourself. The process of opening the charge, the examination, and going through rape kit is traumatising and violating. You have to talk about it over and over again.

“The victim said her life had little or no meaning. She had lost her sense of purpose and focus. All she could think about was what happened. We worked with her on overcoming her pain and finding her purpose.

“When the pastor was released on bail, the teenager had just begun training at her job. She had to leave her job due to the anxiety. But through our programme, she is now in a much better space.

“She started a permanent job this year and she was able to obtain her driver’s licence. There are days when she has anxiety attacks, but that if normal when a person experiences trauma.

“We have been demanding for the pastor to step down from his role at the church, but he has refused to do so. This is why we need the churches to be regulated. If churches cannot form a forum to oversee regulations, then the government needs to do it.

“We are proud of the victim for giving evidence, despite the trauma of being in court. The prosecution made a special request to the magistrate so that a screen could be put up to block off the victim’s view of the pastor in court. 

“We hope that justice is served,” Chetty added.

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