Rape accused Bishop Zondo denies witness heard screams from his office

The friend of a woman who was allegedly raped by Bishop Stephen Zondo was accused by advocate lawyer of having “too much to drink” on the day of the incident and concocting a story about the violation.

She was cross-examined in the Pretoria high court on Friday about the day they visited his Robertsham branch in 2015.

The woman had told the court the alleged incident happened when they had returned from a church event in Bloemfontein.

She conceded she, her friend and the friend’s daughter had drunk Smirnoff Guarana spirit coolers during the return trip.

Despite the witness stating she had two drinks, the victim had told the court earlier the witness had three drinks.

Defence advocate Piet Pistorius told the witness the person who drove them from Bloemfontein had stated the friend and her daughter were arguing in the car because they were drunk.

The witness denied this.

She said no one was drunk and that when they arrived at the church branch on December 19 2015, her friend immediately introduced her to Zondo who was standing outside.

Zondo allegedly had oily hands at the time but was not sure what oil was on his hands, she said. She maintained her friend had walked with Zondo into his office and she had then heard her friend screaming.

Three days later, the woman said, her friend had told her over the phone Zondo had raped her.

“She told me she doesn’t know how it happened but when she woke up from blacking out, she saw the accused on top of her and my friend had no clothes on,” she said.

She saw Zondo walk out of his office with the friend but noticed she was emotional and her clothes were ruffled. 

But Pistorius challenged her say she was introduced to Zondo before the alleged incident.

“My client says he only met you after he met with [your friend] in his office and they exited the office building. He was not introduced to you formally in the beginning when you arrived,” he said.

Zondo also denied claims the alleged victim was screaming in his office. Pistorius accused the witness of having too much to drink to remember.

“I put it to you that the whole version is a concocted story that is simply not true. You arrived there on the premises of the church and you probably had a bit more to drink than the three drinks you had. The allegations of you hearing screams did not happen and the reports that the victim was allegedly raped are lies,” he said.

The woman denied this, insisting she was telling the truth.

The trial is set to continue again from June 5 to 15.

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