A pastor in Cape Town has been sentence to 30 days in prison after disregarding court orders barring him from preaching about homosexuality.
After making ‘hateful’ remarks in 2014, Rev Oscar Bougardt reached a settlement with the Human Rights Commission, agreeing not to make any further negative comments about the LGBTQ community.
However, last week the Equality Court found Bougardt continued to refer to homosexuality as ‘perverted.’ Bougardt also advocated the criminalisation of homosexual practices, reportedly suggesting a 14-year prison term, “like they do in Nigeria.”
Bougardt also suggested the drought crippling Cape Town was the result of “wickedness and homosexuality and church leaders who fail to preach the Bible and sodomite abomination.”
Judge Lee Bozalek said, Bougardt held a position of authority and was educated enough to know there would be legal consequences for his behaviour.
Prior to his court appearances, Bougardt took to Facebook, asking is followers to pray for the case. “I am sitting with mixed emotions, thinking and praying for the court case on Monday. I am appearing in court on Monday for preaching the Word of God and contempt of court for [continuing] to preach when I was told to stop.”
“I am not sure what’s going to happen, but one thing I am sure of, that the Lord will always be glorified. I call on my brothers and sisters to please pray for me as I stand in court. I may be sent to prison, receive a huge fine, or both. I may enter the court room and not come home to my family – my crime, preaching the Bible.”