Lethebo Rabalao, a South African pastor, who claimed he could heal sick members of his congregation by spraying them with insecticide brand Doom has been found guilty of assault on Friday, February 9, 2018.
Referred to as “the prophet of doom,” by local media, Rabalao was found guilty of four count charges of assault as well as “contravening the Agricultural Act” by a court in Limpopo province.
The provincial health department brought charges against the pastor after videos of him spraying congregants in the face with insecticide surfaced on the internet.
Health MEC, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, welcomed the Limpopo High Court.
“We believe this will be a lesson to many other Pastors who use these unusual practices against the poor and vulnerable members of our society,” Ramathuba said in statement.
“We will also as the department run various health education programmes with a view of helping our people to understand effects of some of these practices.”
Ramathuba said that Rabalao’s activities came under the spotlight after pictures of him spraying Doom on his congregants went viral on social media platforms.
Rabalao said he had been told by God to heal people, and claimed he could help those with HIV and cancer.
