Times Of Swaziland: PASTOR MALUME GUILTY OF  MOLESTING  PUPIL (11), BANNED

PASTOR MALUME GUILTY OF  MOLESTING  PUPIL (11), BANNED
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Nolwazi Bongwe on 06/12/2024 10:11:00


MBABANE - Pastor and transport operator, Bongie Phiri, has been found guilty of
sexually molesting an 11-year-old pupil, while on the way to drop her home from
school.
Mbabane Magistrate Fikile Nhlabatsi sentenced the accused yesterday, with orders
that his company, Lions Children in Transit, should have its licence revoked and
that he not be granted a permit or trading licence, or register a company to
transport children either by being hired by parents, schools, church
organisations or any other persons or stakeholders in Eswatini.
Stakeholders
The court also ordered that the relevant stakeholders in the matter be served
with this judgment, including the Eswatini Council of Churches, Ministry of
Education, Registrar of Companies, the Children Unit under the Deputy Prime
Minister’s (DPM) Office and the Road Transportation Board. He was charged for
contravening Section 36(1) as read with Section 36 (1) (a) (i) of the Sexual
Offences and Domestic Violence Act of 2018.
This, after being arrested for sexually molesting the minor while taking her
home from school by touching the minor’s buttocks and thighs upon dropping off
other pupils he had been transporting. The guilty verdict automatically places
Phiri’s name in the national register for sex offenders.  During his initial
appearance at the magistrates court, Phiri declined legal representation and
elected to conduct his own defence. He had stated that he would plead guilty
once aware of the precise content of the charges levelled against him.
After the charges were read to him, he told the court that although he was
committed to telling the court the whole truth, part of the allegations were
untrue.  The Crown applied that he be remanded in custody until October 17, 2024
and was notified that he would be removed from all contact with minors until the
case reached finality. Phiri then applied for bail, citing his responsibilities
as the breadwinner in his family and the negative impact his being behind bars
would have on his business. He further promised not to evade justice by way of
escaping as he had no relatives outside the country.
Investigations
The magistrate referred the matter to the Children’s Unit under the DPM’s
Office for further investigations. Phiri was subsequently granted bail of E5
000, on condition that he does not engage in the transportation of minors. He
was ordered to hire the services of another driver to continue with the
business, with the Social Welfare Department ordered to ensure Phiri complied
with the order to stay away from minors, pending finality of the matter. The
Crown also informed the court, that the minor would be undergoing counselling
following the traumatic incident. His trial date was then set for yesterday,
after the Crown had informed the court that arrangements for counselling for the
minor had been difficult to arrange due to examinations.