South Africa's 'Doom Pastor' Guilty

A South African self-styled prophet who claimed the insect repellent Doom could heal cancer and HIV has been found guilty of assault, local news sites are reporting.

Lethebo Rabalago was arrested after it emerged he had used the product to "cure" his followers of various ailments in 2016.

At the time, he told the BBC's Nomsa Maseko in Johannesburg he had sprayed the face of one woman because she had an eye infection and claimed the woman was "just fine because she believed in the power of God".

He also claims the spray can heal cancer and HIV.

Mr Rabalago's case had been delayed on a number of occasions, most recently when his lawyer forgot his glasses.

Today, at Mookgopong Magistrates Court, in Limpopo province, he was found guilty of five counts of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, and one of contravening the agricultural stock remedies act, national broadcaster SABC reports.

Magistrate Frans Mahodi told the court the fact the five complainants "were sprayed on their faces with Doom makes this offence [the] worst of its kind".

He also revealed some had suffered "detrimental side effects... like coughing for more than seven months” after the incident.

A sentence is yet to be handed down.