Portia Phahlane, the Pretoria high court judge accused of accepting a bribe to make a favourable ruling in a long-standing church succession battle, has been placed on special leave with immediate effect following her court appearance.
Phahlane, her son Kagiso, Vusi Ndala and Michael Sandlana, the leader of one faction of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, appeared at the Pretoria specialised commercial crimes court on charges of corruption and money laundering on Wednesday.
Following her appearance in court, chief justice Mandisa Maya announced that Phahlane will be placed on leave.