Judge Portia Phahlane Claims Bribery Charges Are a ‘Vendetta’ in High-Profile Church Corruption Case
A Pretoria High Court judge, facing serious corruption charges, has alleged the case against her is a personal vendetta stemming from her role in a bitter leadership dispute within one of South Africa’s wealthiest churches.
Charges and Allegations
Judge Portia Phahlane, her son Kagiso, International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC) faction leader Bhekumzi Michael Sandlana, and spokesperson Vusi Soli Ndala appeared in the Pretoria Serious Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday. They collectively face 19 counts of corruption and money laundering.
The charges allege that between 2021 and 2022, Ndala and Sandlana made payments totaling approximately R2.4 million to various bank accounts for Judge Phahlane’s benefit. The state contends these were bribes in exchange for her presiding over Sandlana’s civil case in the high court and ruling in his favor.
Judge’s Defense: A Targeted Campaign
During her bail application, represented by Advocate Piet du Plessis, Judge Phahlane presented a starkly different narrative. She stated she believes the charges constitute a personal vendetta by parties involved in the IPHC civil dispute.
In her affidavit, she detailed being personally targeted with corruption allegations during the IPHC trial and facing a recusal application, which she refused. “This led to various threats against my life, as a result of which I filed formal complaints with the South African Police Services,” she told the court.
She further explained that she has since supplemented those statements with additional charges, including intimidation, and has issued summons through the High Court claiming a substantial amount from the parties involved.
“I therefore state that I have not committed any criminal conduct and that the allegations against me are likely fueled and motivated by parties with ulterior motives.”
Bail Conditions and Separate Proceedings
The court granted Judge Phahlane bail of R50,000, while her son and Ndala were each granted bail of R10,000. All three were ordered to surrender their passports, are prohibited from applying for travel documents, and must not interfere with investigations or intimidate witnesses. Judge Phahlane has also been barred from entering two high court buildings.
The case against them was postponed to March 6.
Sandlana’s bail application, however, was opposed by the prosecution and postponed to December 3. State prosecutor Willem van Zyl told the court that Sandlana had attempted to evade arrest and that his supporters and bodyguards assaulted police officers during the operation, resulting in one officer being disarmed and two being hospitalized.
Context: The IPHC Leadership Feud
The case is deeply intertwined with a protracted leadership battle within the IPHC that began after the death of Bishop Glayton Modise in 2016. The ensuing conflict pitted the Modise brothers, Tshepiso and Leonard, against each other, creating multiple factions, including one led by Sandlana.
Although the Modise brothers reunited and withdrew from the succession dispute in 2023, the Sandlana faction subsequently declared itself the leader of the church’s Zuurbekom headquarters. This complex civil litigation formed the backdrop of the case over which Judge Phahlane presided.
Broader Implications for the Judiciary
The charges have drawn the attention of judicial oversight bodies. Judges Matter, a civil society organization monitoring the South African judiciary, has called for Judge Phahlane to step down from her duties. They have also advised the Judicial Service Commission to appoint a tribunal to investigate the matter and for President Cyril Ramaphosa to suspend the judge, citing the seriousness of the allegations.
This case places a spotlight on the integrity of the judicial process and the potential vulnerability of the courts to influence from powerful external entities, particularly those with significant financial resources like the IPHC.
This report is based on information from the primary source: TimesLIVE.