By Doreen Mokgolo
Pastor Mlotha Nelson Usale, a 59-year-old from Malawi and leader of Gods Chapel Church, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court.
He was found guilty of vandalising essential infrastructure and committing fraud involving R150,000.
Between 2021 and May 2022, Usale ran a group that stole batteries nationwide from Vodacom and MTN network towers.
He would modify the batteries to make them look like solar batteries, repaint them, and then sell them to unsuspecting buyers online through fake businesses named Solar Mart and Sun Shop.
The stolen batteries were delivered to customers using ride-hailing services.
The scheme was uncovered when a customer bought a battery that didn’t work. After showing it to a friend, the customer realised it was a stolen network battery and reported it to the police.
This led to the arrest of two other men, who then showed the police a storage place in Midrand where 53 stolen batteries were found.
Usale fled to Malawi but was arrested on January 25 while trying to cross the border back into South Africa.
He admitted guilt in court and offered to pay a fine of R200,000, but the prosecutor, advocate Tholoana Sekhonyana, argued his crimes were too serious for just a fine.
The judge criticised Usale for trying to avoid prison and said he had abused South Africa’s hospitality.
Pictured above: Pastor Mlotha Nelson Usale.
Source: Facebook
