Corruption-accused Gauteng High Court Judge Portia Phahlane said the case against her is ‘the result of a personal vendetta,’ waged by those involved in the legal wrangle for control of the International Pentecost Holiness Church (IPHC).

This was revealed when she made her first appearance in the dock of the Specialised Commercial Crime Court in Pretoria yesterday to apply for bail, after she and her co-accused – Kagiso Phahlane, Vusi Ndala, and Bhekumzi Mike Sandlana – were arrested on Tuesday night. 

News24 reports that Phahlane presided over the IPHC case before it was withdrawn in 2023, and is accused of having pocketed more than R2m in kickbacks in exchange for agreeing to rule in favour of one church faction.

In her bail application, which was granted, she indicated she planned on pleading not guilty ‘to all charges levelled against me': 'I consider the charges against me as the result of a personal vendetta conducted against me by parties who were involved in a civil dispute with each other related to the succession battle within a church group called the IPHC.’

Phahlane emphasised that she had dismissed an application for her recusal based on bribery claims and experienced death threats during the case.

She laid a formal complaint with SAPS and said she later added charges of intimidation and crimen injuria ‘against various parties, including legal practitioners who were involved in the matter,’ and issued summons claiming ‘a substantial amount’ from the parties involved.

‘I therefore state I have not made myself guilty of any criminal conduct and the allegations against me are probably fuelled and motivated by parties who have ulterior motives for doing so.’

The IPHC, founded by Frederick Modise in the 1960s, became the subject of intense litigation after the death of his son, Glayton Modise, in 2016, which led to a battle over succession. 

News24 says three factions were vying for the position of IPHC ‘comforter'.

They included two of Modise’s sons, Tshepiso and Leonard, who were squaring off against each other, as well as a third contender, Bhekumzi Mike Sandlana, who also claimed to be a biological son of Modise. 

On the state’s version, there were a series of meetings during which Phahlane allegedly agreed to a request from Sandlana to rule in his favour and she received several payments.

Full News24 report