The Pretoria high court on Tuesday ordered the defence in the trial of Bishop Stephen Zondo to stop questioning a victim about previous sexual abuse cases.
Zondo, leader of the Rivers of Living Water Ministries, is accused of raping seven women, mostly members of his church. He faces 10 charges.
Judge Papi Mosopa told Zondo's advocate, Piet Pistorius, to refrain from asking the witness about a previous rape case, saying it was irrelevant to this case.
On Monday the woman told the court she was raped when she was a young woman, but did not go into details.
Pistorius on Tuesday put it to her that she was previously gang-raped and raped at least three times before Zondo allegedly raped her. That is when Mosopa jumped in.
“Previous sexual history or abuses are irrelevant here. Please refrain from asking about that,” he told Pistorius.
Visibly unhappy with the judge's order, Pistorius told the court his cross-examination was being curtailed.
Pistorius then grilled the woman on why it took almost three years for her to open a case against Zondo.
She said she only realised after testifying at the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL) that she needed some form of justice.
The woman told the court she struggled to open a case against Zondo as he had "strategically" employed her brother-in-law to work in the church's finance department.
This was dismissed by the defence, which said the brother-in-law was employed in May 2018, months before the alleged rape.
“So there is no 'strategic' employment in that,” Pistorius said.
However, the witness maintained she believed Zondo was trying to use the brother-in-law's employment as a threat.
“In 2019 he sent me a message [that I was deemed a threat] and told me to not forget my brother. He also told me I must not forget about my rape,” the woman said, adding that the delay in opening the case was also due to her being scared of Zondo.
“I was scared because I couldn't believe that it was him who had done this to me,” she said.
Questioned why she was called by the CRL to testify, she said her name came up in the testimony of congregants who appeared at the commission and she was subpoenaed to appear.
She said her testimony related to her involvement in the church and her role as a prayer warrior. She said she told the CRL about the "abuse" after she was asked about her standing in the church.
“I had to tell them why I'm no longer a member of the church and that it is how it came out,” she said.
In November 2020 the CRL looked into allegations of misconduct by Zondo in various matters, including financial exploitation of church members.
On Monday the woman told the court Zondo performed oral sex on her during a prayer session in his office in December 2018. She said he called her to his office, saying he wanted to pray for her marriage to be a success.
The trial will continue on Wednesday.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
Bishop Stephen Zondo's defence ordered not to raise previous abuse of victim
Image: Antonio Muchave
The Pretoria high court on Tuesday ordered the defence in the trial of Bishop Stephen Zondo to stop questioning a victim about previous sexual abuse cases.
Zondo, leader of the Rivers of Living Water Ministries, is accused of raping seven women, mostly members of his church. He faces 10 charges.
Judge Papi Mosopa told Zondo's advocate, Piet Pistorius, to refrain from asking the witness about a previous rape case, saying it was irrelevant to this case.
On Monday the woman told the court she was raped when she was a young woman, but did not go into details.
Pistorius on Tuesday put it to her that she was previously gang-raped and raped at least three times before Zondo allegedly raped her. That is when Mosopa jumped in.
“Previous sexual history or abuses are irrelevant here. Please refrain from asking about that,” he told Pistorius.
Visibly unhappy with the judge's order, Pistorius told the court his cross-examination was being curtailed.
Pistorius then grilled the woman on why it took almost three years for her to open a case against Zondo.
She said she only realised after testifying at the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL) that she needed some form of justice.
The woman told the court she struggled to open a case against Zondo as he had "strategically" employed her brother-in-law to work in the church's finance department.
This was dismissed by the defence, which said the brother-in-law was employed in May 2018, months before the alleged rape.
“So there is no 'strategic' employment in that,” Pistorius said.
However, the witness maintained she believed Zondo was trying to use the brother-in-law's employment as a threat.
“In 2019 he sent me a message [that I was deemed a threat] and told me to not forget my brother. He also told me I must not forget about my rape,” the woman said, adding that the delay in opening the case was also due to her being scared of Zondo.
“I was scared because I couldn't believe that it was him who had done this to me,” she said.
Questioned why she was called by the CRL to testify, she said her name came up in the testimony of congregants who appeared at the commission and she was subpoenaed to appear.
She said her testimony related to her involvement in the church and her role as a prayer warrior. She said she told the CRL about the "abuse" after she was asked about her standing in the church.
“I had to tell them why I'm no longer a member of the church and that it is how it came out,” she said.
In November 2020 the CRL looked into allegations of misconduct by Zondo in various matters, including financial exploitation of church members.
On Monday the woman told the court Zondo performed oral sex on her during a prayer session in his office in December 2018. She said he called her to his office, saying he wanted to pray for her marriage to be a success.
The trial will continue on Wednesday.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
READ MORE:
Woman breaks down as she recounts how Bishop Zondo allegedly sexually violated her
‘He said he can’t get an erection at home but gets it when he’s outside’: Bishop Zondo’s victim in court
Bishop Zondo’s legal team pours water on witnesses’ testimonies as trial commences
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Related articles
Most read
Latest Videos