Bishop Stephen Zondo's lawyer accuses victim's aunt of lying in rape trial

Bishop Stephen Zondo's counsel accused the aunt of one of his alleged victims of lying and giving false evidence on Friday.

Zondo is accused of raping seven women, mainly from his Rivers of Living Waters Ministries church. He faces 10 charges.

His lawyer, Piet Pistorius, said parts of the aunt’s police statement did not corroborate her testimony before the Pretoria high court. He added the “victim” denied her aunt's statements.

But on her second day of testimony, the aunt again repeated what her niece told her in 2009 at the church’s mission house.

“She told me the bishop raped her,” she said.

As her niece was crying and hysterical, the aunt said she only asked for details of the alleged incident when at her home in Arcon Park, Vereeniging.

The niece told her Zondo wanted to meet her at a Formula 1 Hotel in Johannesburg. The “victim” said she received a key for a specific room and waited an hour before Zondo arrived.

He then instructed her to undress before raping her.

However, Pistorius said the victim denied talking to her aunt at Arcon Park.

“When I asked her about that, that if you were to come and say [the discussion] occurred in Arcon Park, [she would say] you would be lying,” Pistorius said.

The state requested he rephrase his question, saying calling the witness a liar implied the victim was also lying.

Pistorius repeatedly accused the aunt of giving false evidence and grilled her on why she only gave a statement to the police in 2021.

The aunt said this was because her niece had finally opened a case and police visited her to get the statement.

However, she only remained silent about the incident until her niece told her father, a pastor at a different church.

In addition, Zondo allegedly threatened to kill the family should the victim report him to the police, the aunt said.

Meanwhile, seated in the court were followers of Zondo, with badges of his face clipped to their collars.

Others gathered outside, picketing in support of their leader.

During the adjournment, Zondo’s supporters were given Chicken Licken meals sponsored by the church.

The matter will continue on Monday.

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