Pretoria - Following a delay in the sex trial of Rivers of Living Waters Church leader Bishop Bafana Stephen Zondo, proceedings eventually got under way again yesterday.
Zondo’s advocate accused his alleged victim of being part of a conspiracy to falsely incriminate the clergyman.
The woman, who cannot be identified because she is an alleged victim of sexual abuse, claimed that on December 23, 2018, she was attending a church service at the Everton branch of Zondo’s church, when she was called to his office.
She told the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, that Zondo told her that he wanted to pray for her. She said while closing her eyes, and while he was praying, he forced his private part into her mouth.
The woman said she mentioned to another member of Zondo’s flock that she was abused by him, but did not give the woman details of what had happened.
When she later went to the police station to open a case against the bishop, the other alleged victim was also there to open a case.
Piet Pistorius acting for Zondo, in questioning the witness, accused her and the other alleged victim of conspiring to lay false charges against Zondo in a bid to incriminate him.
Pistorius said it was simply too coincidental that both of them were there at the same time to lay charges against Zondo, unless the two had made prior arrangement to falsely accused him of committing sexual acts on them.
Zondo earlier pleaded not guilty to 10 charges brought against him, mainly by members of his flock.
He did not provide an explanation for his plea, but in questioning some of the alleged victims, Pistorius said the charges were trumped-up in a bid to extort money from the wealthy Zondo.
In the bulk of the charges, it is claimed that Zondo, under the guise of wanting to pray for the women, lured them to his office, where he raped some and sexually assaulted others.
All the women claimed that while their eyes were closed and while he was praying for them, he took sexual advantage of them.
The evidence of the witness who testified yesterday resumed after months of delay, after Zondo had objected to the translation of the evidence of some of the witnesses.
The court’s chief interpreter had to listen to various discs containing evidence to establish whether there were mistakes.
Pistorius said the mistakes were now rectified on the court record.
It is understood that after the conclusion of the cross-examination of yesterday’s witness, which will continue today, the matter will be postponed to May.
Members of Zondo’s congregation again flocked to the court, showing their solidarity with their leader.
Right from the start of his trial more than a year ago, a group of mainly women have stood outside the court building, singing and holding placards which read: “Hands off our bishop”.
Their singing and chanting grew louder each time Zondo left the court building to either greet them or to get into his luxury car, which awaited him near the steps of the building.
Pretoria News