Pastor and family jailed after victim’s hands amputated in Vosman attack

A pastor and two of his family members have been convicted and sentenced in the Emalahleni Regional Court for the violent assault of a young man whose hands were amputated after he was accused of stealing from their church.

Pastor Solomon Mahlangu and his son, Enock Mahlangu, were found guilty of attempted murder and kidnapping, while Enock’s wife, Poppy Lethnes Mhlanga, was convicted of kidnapping.

The National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said the incident occurred on 27 March 2024, when the victim was walking through church premises on Kroomdraai Road in Vosman while taking a shortcut toward Extension 16.

According to Nyuswa, he was confronted by Enock and later by Solomon.

The court heard that Solomon and Enock assaulted him, dragged him from a vehicle and chopped off his hands with a panga. The attackers left him at the scene while he bled and pleaded for assistance. A passerby later found him and rushed him for medical treatment.

Police arrested the accused following an investigation, and they were granted bail under strict conditions while awaiting trial. All three pleaded not guilty and chose to remain silent during the trial.

Nyuswa said the State, led by prosecutor Francois Brandt, presented “credible and compelling evidence”, including the victim’s detailed account of the assault. A photo album depicting the scene where the severed hands were recovered was admitted as evidence. Although the accused later testified, the court rejected their versions as “bare denials” and accepted the victim’s testimony as reliable.

In delivering the sentence, the court considered the roles played by each of the accused.

“Solomon and Enock Mahlangu were each sentenced to life imprisonment for attempted murder and an additional three years’ imprisonment for kidnapping. Poppy Mhlanga received three years’ direct imprisonment for kidnapping. All three were declared unfit to possess firearms,” Nyuswa said.

Nyuswa believes the sentences send a clear message that violent crimes will be met with firm action, and the authority remains committed to pursuing such offenders.