A female pastor who was attacked and stabbed to death in her home was allegedly targeted because of the title deeds she held for two churches.

This was according to the State witness Siyabonga Dlamini’s evidence on Wednesday in the Durban High Court, where five men accused of Pastor Victoria Mahlalempini’s murder are currently on trial.

Dlamini was initially arrested with the five men – Charles Thandukwazi Dludla, 25, Sandile Gabs Ngcobo, 28, Hloniphani Wiseman Dlamini, 32, Thamsanqa Moses Dlamini, 31, and Sicelo Mjoka, 23. Charges against him were later withdrawn.

Mahlalempini was the founder of Power of God Assembly in KwaDabeka and co-owned the Power of God old age home. She was killed at her Pinetown home on December 3, 2014.

Dlamini told the court the attackers wanted the title deeds of two churches – in Bizana and in Pinetown – the ownership of which was awarded to Mahlalempini by a court.

He said he met the pastor in 2011 and kept in contact with her because he was in need of prayer.

He said she took him in and he also attended her church. He claimed he was approached by another pastor who had an interest in the title deeds.

He alleged the pastor said Mahlalempini kept these documents at her home and had promised to pay him to steal these documents.

When he refused, the pastor allegedly told him to get “boys” to do the job.

He agreed and said his share was going to be R20 000.

They all apparently agreed that his involvement was to keep the garage and kitchen doors unlocked for the men.

He said the pastor apparently regularly reminded him about this via WhatsApp. A first attempt to steal the documents failed.

When the five men struck, Dlamini said they had just finished their evening prayer when they heard Mahlalempini’s grandson, Thando, screaming for the men to leave him alone.

“They were pushing him to go inside, pointing a knife at him. One of them was carrying a gun and a 5 litre plastic container with liquid that looked like water. We were told to lie on the floor and were tied up,” Dlamini testified.

He said while two of the accused took Mahlalempini’s other grandchild, Yandisa, to a bedroom to look for the documents, the others remained in the dining area and demanded money and the documents from the deceased.

“They were swearing at her, while stabbing her with knives they got from the kitchen. She told them over and over again that the documents were not in the house and that she had no money,” he said.

“They put us all in one of the bedrooms. We then heard the gate open and realised they had left. Yandisa untied us.

“We rushed to the dining room area where we found the pastor in a pool of blood. I called the paramedics who certified her dead.”

He said after the incident he did not tell Mahlalempini’s family the truth and had feared for his life because he was allegedly being threatened by the pastor who he said had hired him.

The trial continues. – IOL