Home South African IPHC leader has ‘nothing to hide’ in ongoing fraud probe

IPHC leader has ‘nothing to hide’ in ongoing fraud probe

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A fraud case was opened at the Sandton police station, alleging that Sandlana had a role in the death certificate allegedly issued by the Department of Home Affairs purporting that his wife Benedicta had died.

Leader of IPHC Jerusalem Michael Sandlana arrives at the Sandton police station. Picture: Supplied

THE LEADER of IPHC Jerusalem, one of three factions of the International Pentecost Holiness Church, was on Monday at the Sandton police station in Johannesburg amid what he says are orchestrated allegations of fraud in his personal estate wrangle with estranged wife Benedicta.

Without specifying whether Michael Sandlana had been arrested or not, IPHC Jerusalem spokesman Vusi Ndala said the charismatic church leader had gone to the station “in his ongoing bid to clear his name” over the allegations.

“The allegation is premised on the complaint laid by Ms Benedicta Sandlana, the estranged wife, and the allegations by Arnold Joseph Attorneys, her legal advisors,” Ndala said, adding that Sandlana, affectionately know as the “comforter” within the IPHC, had nothing to hide and had been an exemplary public figure in South Africa for years.

“A fraud case was opened at the Sandton police station, alleging that Comforter Sandlana had a role in the death certificate issued by the national department of home affairs purporting that Ms Benedicta Sandlana had died.”

Ndala said the allegations were that this had been done in order to take church property away from Benedicta Sandlana’s personal estate and her husband had subsequently faced various accusations “without anyone explaining how he should be linked to what home affairs does, let alone his supposed control of what a State department does”.

“In the spirit of transparency and in line with his unwavering commitment to clear the air on the widespread allegations which have been reported in the media, Comforter Sandlana will this morning be visiting the Sandton police station where the matter was reported a few days ago,” Ndala added.

He asserted that Sandlana’s personal affairs “are now being used to discredit and dethrone him” amid a long running bitter battle for leadership of the IPHC church.

The well-known church, which boasts a three-million strong membership in South Africa and neighbouring countries, has been engulfed in a bitter three-way tussle to succeed Glayton Modise, who had “inherited” it from his father and founder Frederick Samuel Modise in 1998.

The three main contenders to take over the reins of the church are Glayton Modise’s two sons Frederick Leonard Goitsemang and Tshepiso, as well as Sandlana, who is reportedly Modise’s son out of wedlock.

Leonard Modise leads the IPHC group based in Zuurbekom, while the other two run splinter groups elsewhere.

Sandlana reportedly leads approximately 90 percent of the church branches and has the support of most IPHC priests on the church council.

– African News Agency (ANA)

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