The first witness in the Timothy Omotoso rape trial – Cheryl Zondi – says she’s willing to re-testify in the trial following the recusal of judge Mandela Makaula.
Makaula recused himself from the trial after it emerged that his wife’s company operates a guesthouse had accommodated some of the state witnesses in the trial.
The judge’s recusal means Zondi might have to re-testify in the trial.
Zondi has been briefing the media in Johannesburg.
“If I have to go through secondary victimisation all over again, to get justice, then so be it. The thing is i know that at the end of the day the truth is going to triumph all these tactics and all of these lies as always and it will prevail.”
Judge Makaula’s decision to recuse himself last week is understood to be relating to the ownership of a guesthouse where some of the state witnesses in the trial had been accommodated. His wife’s company runs the guesthouse.
Makaula said his recusal was in the interest of justice.
During the her testimony at the beginning of the trial, Zondi broke down on several occasions while testifying how Pastor Omotoso raped and sexually assaulted her from the age of 14.
She also faced gruelling cross examination from Omotoso’s lawyer Peter Daubermann leading to a public outcry.
Daubermann had previously pushed for Makaula’s recusal accusing the judge of bias.
The case will be back in the Port Elizaberth High court on the 30th of July.
The televangelist faces 63 main charges and 34 alternative counts, which include human trafficking and rape.
