The 36-year-old alleged pastor was found injured and hiding in a back room in Diepsloot when he was arrested by police on Saturday afternoon.
Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said the arrest followed an intensive investigation by detectives and a crime intelligence team.
The suspect’s two wives had been arrested shortly after the rape and murder on Wednesday and had already appeared in the Atteridgeville Magistrates’ Court last week.
The mother and her baby met with the alleged pastor and his 24-year-old wife on Wednesday morning for a cleansing ritual along the Hennops River. The mother was allegedly tied up and raped, and the couple fled with the baby.
She managed to free herself and sought help.
The 24-year-old wife was found later that afternoon and led police to a shallow grave where the baby’s body was found. A second wife was arrested later.
The alleged pastor is expected to appear in court on Monday, 12 October 2026
