'Sex pest' pastor back in the dock

A CHATSWORTH pastor, who abandoned his bail application after he was charged last month with the rape of a 12-year-old boy from his congregation, walked into the courtroom with a smile during his second court appearance last week.

- YOSHINI PERUMAL

Sitham Baram Michael Andrew Chetty, 54, appeared in the Chatsworth Magistrate's Court a month after he abandoned his bail application, on March 27.

State prosecutor, Levi Zietsman, told the court that the detectives from the Chatsworth Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit had completed their investigations.

Chetty’s attorney, Priyanka Naicker, said Chetty had no objection to the case being adjourned to next month.

She said his initial decision to abandon his bail was still standing.

Chetty, who is unmarried and has no children of his own, ran a church from an outbuilding in Bayview for the past five years.