First Witness, Cheryl Zondi Testifies Against South-African Based Nigerian Televangelist, Pastor Timothy Omotoso On Sexual Assault Allegations| Gory Details
The first witness in the sexual assault trial of Nigerian televangelist, Pastor Timothy Omotoso, Cheryl Zondi is wrapping up her evidence in South Africa.
Pastor Timothy Omotoso, is facing trial on child sexual abuse, and human trafficking in South Africa.
Omotoso, the televangelist pastor of the Jesus Dominion International church, Durban, has been held in jail since April 20, 2017; and has been denied bail since because the court believes there is a likelihood he would flee South Africa if granted bail.
Magistrate Thandeka Mashiyi had made the judgement then, and said that the pastor, a Nigerian whose family are all UK nationals, faced a sentence of at least, life imprisonment.
“His family, wife and children are all United Kingdom citizens, his church has international branches, which he visits from time to time, he is regarded as an illegal immigrant [and] there is nothing tying the applicant to South Africa.”
The case’ investigating officer, Warrant Officer Peter Plaatjies had testified against the pastor.
Plaatjies had claimed that senior members of the minister’s church would draw “vulnerable” girls aged 13 to 15 into the church and have them perform sexual acts with him.
The pastor is been charged with having trafficked more than 30 girls and women who were part of his nationwide church network.
In a latest development, Zondi, 22, who claimed she was sexually assaulted by Omotoso said she believed God was on her alleged attacker’s side. She said this at the Port Elizabeth High Court, South Africa, on Monday.
Zondi said she waived her right to be unnamed in the sex trial involving Omotoso and his two alleged henchwomen because she wanted the world to know what type of person he is.
She was under cross-examination and questioned extensively by defence attorney, Peter Daubermann on her aspirations to become a professional singer while being a member of the Jesus Dominion International (JDI) church.
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When Daubermann asked Zondi about her 1st encounter with the televangelist at his mission house in Durban, she testified that at the time, she was 14 years old when he summoned her to his bedroom.
Zondi said she was asked by Omotoso to lock the door as she entered.
“You were in a room alone with a man. You say you were scared. What did you think was going to happen? Didn’t you wonder why the door was locked?” asked Daubermann.
Zondi replied that it was scary but it was also a privilege because Omotoso was thought to be a man of God. She said she wanted him to be her musical mentor and thought that he would train her.
The teenager knelt beside Omotoso who was in his bed under the sheets. She said he signaled for her to sit next to him on the bed.
She detailed the sexual assault, claiming that Omotoso hugged her tightly, pulled on her bra strap and pushed her on the bed.
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Zondi said while she was fully clothed, she felt his erect penis between her thighs.
She told the court that she did not resist and was aware that she was being sexually attacked and knew that such behaviour was wrong.
Zondi said she thought she might be raped.
“Why did you not scream, ma’am? You knew there were other people in the house, they would hear you?”
Zondi said she was scared and the girls in the house were loyal to Omotoso.
She further explained why she did not dare to object to his advances, saying she was shocked and confused and just said to him: “I just have to get used to the way things work in this house.”
Zondi said that even if she screamed for help nobody would have intervened.
She said that at the time, she thought God would be on Omotoso’s side in committing a sexual assault.
“But this is against God’s teaching… How can a man of God be capable of doing these things you describe. You said you knew what he was doing was wrong,” asked Daubermann.
Zondi explained again that she was too scared to oppose Omotoso because anyone who opposed him would die, so she allowed him to continue.
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She said she was young and impressionable.
At night, Zondi said she was again summoned to his room where she thought she would definitely get raped.
“I thought he would rape me and I should allow him to do what he wanted to do. I did not want to face the wrath of God,” explained Zondi.
This time she was instructed to remove her clothing, and Zondi said Omotoso penetrated her vagina slightly but was careful not to go all the way. She further described him rubbing himself against her genital area until he climaxed.
Daubermann then asked how many centimetres of Omotoso’s penis had penetrated her, at which point Judge Mandela Makaula said he would not allow the question, to murmurs in the public gallery. Daubermann accused Makaula of hampering his cross-examination.
The 58-year-old televangelist faces a string of charges including rape, and the alleged trafficking of more than 30 girls and women who were from various branches of his church to a house in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal, where he allegedly sexually exploited them.
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Alleged accomplices, Lusanda Solani, 36, of Durban, and Zukiswa Sitho, 28, of Port Elizabeth, allegedly recruited girls all over the country and monitored their movements in the houses where they were being kept.
Cross-examination continues.