South African pastor arrested in investigation into infant's murder

Police detained a 36-year-old suspect in Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg, bringing the number held in connection with the baby's death and the alleged rape of her mother to three.

Police said the man was found in a back room in a Diepsloot informal settlement on October 10. Detectives and crime intelligence officers had been searching for him as part of the investigation.

The case concerns a 43-year-old mother's visit with her baby, the pastor and one of his wives to the Hennops River near the R511 for a ritual. The woman reported that she was raped and tied up. She escaped and sought help at a nearby construction site.

The infant's body was found in a shallow grave near the river. Police said the pastor's 24-year-old wife led investigators to it. His other wife is also among those arrested.

The pastor is expected to appear at Atteridgeville Magistrates' Court on Monday. The investigation continues, and the arrests do not establish the suspects' guilt.