The rape trial of controversial man of the cloth Bishop Bafana Zondo came to an abrupt stop when it was postponed on Friday to February 2024.
This after presiding judge Papi Masopa announced that he will be taking a long leave from September, allowing defence lawyer Piet Pistorius enough time to bring a witness.
Zondo, the founder of Rivers of Living Waters Church, is facing multiple charges of rape and trying to bribe one of his victims to drop charges for offences said to have been committed between the 1980s and 2018.
On Thursday the court heard from a new witness, a gospel singer, who was initially singled out as the alleged rapist.
The court heard that an aunt to the victim, who was a backing vocalist for the gospel singer, had alleged that the musician forcefully slept with her niece.
It was when the aunt reported the matter to the CRL Gender Commission that the niece told a radio station, during the promotion of her music, that Zondo was the one who raped her, not the gospel artist.
During his testimony, the gospel singer poured cold water over the allegations, saying he regarded the victim and her husband as family, and that he had never been in a romantic relationship with the rape victim.
“The victim and her husband were my backing vocalists, however, they no longer sing for me. Years ago, they left and I got new back-up singers,” he told the court.
Pistorius said according to what was shared by the niece to her aunt, the musician allegedly called the victim to a meeting at a parking lot in Mediclinic.
“The aunt of the victim will testify that you picked up her niece in a black Chrysler and took her to a Formula 1 hotel,” said Pistorius.
To which the gospel singer responded: “I have no idea of what is being put to me. This is the first time I am hearing of this. I have never owned that car, and I don’t even like that brand.”
Zondo is facing 10 charges including rape, indecent assault, and defeating the ends of justice. He goes back to court on February 19.
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