He told me to do it to please God – Zondi

Jesus Dominion International lead pastor Timothy Omotoso had such control that his alleged victim could not speak out about her sexual abuse.

This was part of state witness Cheryl Zondi's evidence in the Port Elizabeth High Court on Tuesday, the second day of intense cross-examination by Omotoso’s defence attorney Peter Daubermann.

Zondi, 22, a marketing student at UJ, told the court that when she returned to the church in 2015 after initially leaving in 2013 she told Omotoso that she did not like what he was doing to her and asked him why he did them.

"[He] said there was no other option. I had to do what I was doing to please him and God.”

Pushed further for an answer by Daubermann Zondi said she did not ask or tell Omotoso to stop the sexual assault because she was too scared to do so.

Zondi told the court Omotoso had such an intense hold over her that she could not escape him even after being away from the church for two years.

“[That] is so improbable that it can’t possibly be true,’ Daubermann said.

"It is a difficult case so I can understand if you are frustrated," a confident Zondi replied.

She first became involved in the church in 2009 aged 13.

"He groomed a 14-year-old to be his sex slave," said Zondi.

She left the church with the help of her mother in 2013 but attempted to take her own life in 2014. A year later she was persuaded to attend a church crusade in Port Elizabeth.

"In my head he was going to apologise to me. In my heart of hearts he would admit what he did was wrong," said Zondi when asked by Daubermann why she would return.

Zondi said Omotoso told her that if she tried to leave again she would go insane or die.

"I realised at 19 I had put myself in exactly the same spot I had been in before," she said.

After lunch Daubermann presented video footage of Zondi at the church’s 2015 gathering in PE where Zondi spoke to the congregation saying she was happy to be back.

"I thank God for this ministry and for this man of god [Omotoso]. I pray my stay here inspires others not to leave this place," Zondi said at the time.

Omotoso and his two coaccused face 63 charges for crimes including trafficking and rape. All three refused to plead to the charges.

The trial continues.