The Pretoria specialised commercial crimes court has denied bail to the leader of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC), Mike Sandlana.
The court found Sandlana is a flight risk.
Sandlana is accused of bribing high court judge Portia Phahlane to deliver a favourable judgment in a succession dispute involving three men in the wealthy church.
Sandlana and his spokesperson, Vusi Ndala, were arrested in November with Phahlane, who presided over the controversial legal succession battle for control of the IPHC.
Phahlane’s son Kagiso was also arrested and was granted bail with his mother and Ndala.
Magistrate Nicca Setshoga said Sandlana failed to discharge the onus placed on him to show the court on a balance of probabilities that the interest of justice permits his release.
The state opposed his release on bail, citing many reasons, including that he would intimidate witnesses, and presented to the court that he allegedly had fraudulent identity documents.
TimesLIVE
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