State expected to call first witness in Timothy Omotoso trial

The state’s first witness is expected to testify in the Port Elizabeth High Court when the Timothy Omotoso trial starts afresh on Monday.

However, the prosecution would not be drawn on who that would be.

The trial starts from scratch after previous judge Mandela Makaula recused himself in March 2019 when it came to light that state witnesses had been accommodated at a guest house belonging to his wife.

In that trial, the state’s star witness, Cheryl Zondi, spent nearly two weeks under harsh cross-examination by Peter Daubermann, lawyer for alleged sex-pest pastor Omotoso and his two co-accused Zukiswa Sitho and Lusanda Sulani.

Zondi was not spotted at court on Monday morning.

It is not clear whether she will testify again.