South African Prophet Rabalago from the Mountzion General Assembly in Limpopo, South Africa, is a self-styled who has been charged with five counts of assault and contravening environmental laws after images of him spraying congregants with Doom went viral in November last year.
One of the victims, a 20-year-old Thabiso Chabalala on Wednesday, revealed to the court that she spent seven months coughing and with swollen eyes after Prophet Lethebo Rabalago sprayed her with insecticide.
Chabalala testified in the ongoing trial against Lethebo Rabalago at the Mookgophong Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
According to Chabalala in a narration to the court said that she regretted allowing Rabalago to spray the pesticide on her. She said she only responded to calls for the sick to come forward during a church service at Phomolong township last year.
“I regret it,” she said
Presiding magistrate Frans Mahodi asked Chabalala how she felt when she saw Rabalago holding the insecticide can.
“I was taken by surprise. I thought that was how God instructed him to conduct the healing,”
Chabalala went on to say that she was sprayed with Doom twice on the same day and became dizzy.
“At first, I thought the dizziness was part of the healing process but I started experiencing health problems later on.” She added.
The state court had also called a Grade 11 pupil who claimed he had to get help from a clinic after Rabalago sprayed him.
The 17-year-old said he had gone to the church to seek prayers because his neck was painful. Rabalago’s defence lawyer, Edmond Lubisi, said his client had never met the teenager.
“It is my client’s version that he does not know you or remember seeing you at his church,” Lubisi said
Catherine Mabitsela, a legislation chief inspector at the provincial department of agriculture, had earlier testified that Rabalago’s practices were misleading.
In an interview with eNCA last November, Rabalago claims that the insect killer is to heal people with cancer, HIV or any other illness.
And On whether he considers the danger of the chemical spray to the eyes and other body parts, he said believes in God all things are possible and people are getting their healing.
