Africa-Press – South-Africa. The defence team of Bishop Stephen Zondo claimed he was not at the Formula 1 Hotel, near Southgate Mall, when one of his victims was allegedly raped.
This was put to the one of his alleged victims during cross-examination in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday afternoon.
The woman, who is testifying in camera, gave her evidence-in-chief on Monday.
She told the court that Zondo had taken her to a hotel in 2008, where he raped her.
She also claimed that Zondo had said one of her family members would die if she said anything – and that he had offered her R75 000 for her silence.
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While her testimony is in camera, meaning that she gives evidence in private – with only the judge, defence team, prosecution, the accused and court officials in attendance – the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has given the media a summarised version of the witness’ testimony before the court.
According to NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana, during cross-examination on Tuesday, Zondo’s advocate, Piet Pistorius, put it to the victim that Zondo was not at the hotel on the day of the incident, but that a well-known gospel singer was.
The woman denied this, telling the court that she only met the gospel singer in 2010, whereas the incident happened in 2008.
The woman also testified that she was a gospel artist herself.
In her evidence in chief, the woman told the court that not only had she opened a criminal case against Zondo, but also spoke of her ordeal on a radio show and gave evidence at the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL).
Pistorius put it to her that there was an agreement between her and the radio presenter that, if she made revelations about Zondo, they would promote her CD.
“She responded and said, no, they did not have that agreement. She did the interview to talk about the incident. But when the presenter found out that she was a gospel artist, they played her song during the interview,” Mahanjana said.
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The woman also denied that a fellow church member had influenced her to give evidence at the CRL commission.
The woman told the court that she heard about the commission from an online radio station in 2021.
The woman further testified that she would have gone to police, even if she had been given R75 000.
She previously told the court that she did not receive any money from Zondo.
Indictment
The controversial Rivers of Living Waters Ministries bishop faces a string of rape charges, indecent assault and defeating the ends of justice.
It is alleged that the incidents he is accused of started in the 1980s and continued until 2018.
According to the indictment, the first count of rape dated back to 1980, when Zondo allegedly raped a minor girl in Sebokeng. It is also alleged he forced the minor to play with his penis on numerous occasions the same year.
In 2008, he allegedly raped a woman in a hotel in Johannesburg.
In 2013 and 2015, he allegedly raped two more women in Evaton. It is alleged one of the women was raped on two different occasions.
In December 2015, he allegedly raped another woman in or near his church in Evaton.
He is accused of a sixth rape in 2016 and of committing a seventh two years later.
Zondo has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
While he did not offer a plea explanation to the court, his lawyer said that would become clear during the course of the trial.
Cross-examination is expected to continue on Wednesday.
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