An urgent application before the Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) in which a man who said he was known as the ‘anointed one’ among Jehovah’s Witnesses and wanted the court to officially swear him in as the worldwide leader of the organisation has been removed from the roll as it did not meet the legal requirements for an urgent application.

According to a Weekend Argus report, Ernest Gericke told Judge Bill Prinsloo the ‘first business of the Christ is the legal establishment of the kingdom of God on earth, known as the Jehovah’s kingdom’. Gericke said this involved the conducting of a covenant for a kingdom, which is to take place on 11 April, and ‘in order to effect the legal requirements for the kingdom this honourable court is requested to hear the public oath of the office of the king.

‘The court is therefore requested to call the plaintiff (himself) to the stand to make his public oath of office before witnesses.’

He in effect asked the court to order that he be named ‘as the rightful leader’ of the Jehovah’s Witnesses so he could start executing his duties.

Gericke argued the matter was extremely urgent, because the date of the memorial of Jesus’ death was this year on 11 April and he had to be officially appointed by then. The court, however, rejected to urgency claim.

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