A probation officer of the Free State Department of Correctional Services has fuelled controversy in the sentencing of the Thaba Nchu-based reverend Simon Melaletsa.

The officer submitted a pre-sentence report to the Thaba Nchu Magistrate’s Court found to be biased and portraying the convicted reverend as “a saint”.

Melaletsa was convicted on 27 September, following the completion of a trial which began in 2020. The magistrate changed the initial charge of attempted murder to that of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

The reverend was found guilty of striking his Dutch Reformed Church fellow Jantjie Malokase with a car on 24 November 2019. The victim is the father of retired football star Patrick Malokase, who played for Bloemfontein Young Tigers, Free State Stars, Bloemfontein Celtic, Orlando Pirates and Platinum Stars.

Initially, he was due to be sentenced on Thursday (13/10), but the proceedings were postponed to 23 November.

The postponement followed questions raised by the state prosecutor, who has reportedly sought an explanation from the correctional officer regarding the contents of the report on the accused.

“The case was on the court roll on Thursday (13/10) for the correctional supervision report. But the prosecutor requested a postponement for the correctional officer to be called,” said Phaladi Shuping, provincial spokesperson for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Potential motive for the incident in November 2019 is yet to be established.

At the time, Melaletsa had appeared before the church council regarding alleged transgressions. Malokase serves as the chairperson of the council of the Dutch Reformed Church, which heard cases against the accused.

Concerned members of the church view the report as a desperate attempt by the accused to receive a lenient sentence and avoid serving time in prison.

The correctional official who is under fire about the report raised eyebrows by overlooking the impact of the crime on the victim’s health and life after the attack with the accused’s car.

Church members, speaking on anonymous grounds, believe the official had committed a grievous error of judgment in the report.

A question raised is what had informed the correctional official to write a report portraying a good image of the accused, despite alleged transgressions that had caused him to be at loggerheads with the Dutch Reformed Church executive council, which ultimately suspended him on 24 September last year.

The accused was suspended from his position as reverend or minister of religion, which came with a monthly salary.

Melaletsa was given the option to appeal his suspension to the General Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church.

Church members,

speaking on anonymous grounds, believe the official had committed a grievous error of

judgment in the report.

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