Controversial prophet, Penuel Mnguni is facing trial for animal cruelty in his homeland, South Africa after he fed his congregation live snakes in a bizarre ritual to test their faith.
The self-styled ‘prophet’ was arrested after South Africa’s biggest animal charity, the SPCA tipped off police.
Quoting verses from the Bible, he told his followers that mouthfuls of the reptiles would taste like chocolate.
SPCA inspector Andrew Kekana said that Mnguni had caught protected snakes from the bush near the End Times Disciples Ministries Church in Shshanguve, north of Pretoria, South Africa. 
‘He was doing a lot of things that were unacceptable, both to his congregation and the snakes,’ he told MailOnline.
‘But our jurisdiction only relates to animals, so we can only lay a charge against him for that.
‘The pictures are evidence of illegal possession of indigenous protected snakes and cruelty to them.”
In extraordinary pictures the controversial priest, 27, performed ‘miracles’ by turning one parishoner into a horse and climbing on his back, he fed a young girl the hair of another worshipper and put a purple rag into the mouth of another.
Mnguni calls himself ‘Prophet Penuel’ and his congregation boast he is a ‘man of God’ with the power to perform miracles.
They said he has the power to put worshippers into a trance and turn them into horses – and turn live snakes into chocolate.
The last reptile to be eaten, which prompted the SPCA to act, was a Striped Skaapsteker.
The protected species, which grows to around of 60cm, is indigenous to South Africa and does not pose a threat to humans.
On the church’s Facebook page, there are disturbing photos of worshippers performing humiliating acts to prove the strength of their belief.
On the site one parishoner wrote: ‘Those with little faith eat only vegetables but the ones with a great faith eat everything.
‘During the service the Man of God commanded a snake to change into a chocolate and it obeyed. People ate it and enjoyed it.’
Another commented: ‘The Man of God summoned a guy called Thabiso and by the power of God he commanded him to turn into a horse and indeed it happened. The man of God then rode on it. To God Be The Glory.’
One added: ‘The Man of God held a woman’s braid church and people ate it. Its taste was more delicious than cake.’
However, the ‘Prophet’ has also been accused on social media of being ‘satanic’.
Source: MailOnline
