Pastor had intense hold over me, says witness
The lead pastor of the Jesus Dominion International church, Timothy Omotoso, had such control over his accuser that she could not speak out about the alleged sexual abuse she suffered at his hands.
This was part of state witness Cheryl Zondi’s evidence in the Port Elizabeth High Court on Tuesday during the second day of intense cross-examination by Omotoso’s defence attorney, Peter Daubermann.
Zondi, 22, a second-year marketing student at the University of Johannesburg, told the court that when she returned to the church in 2015 after initially leaving it in early 2013, she had told Omotoso that she did not like what he was doing and asked him why he did those things to her.
“[Omotoso] said there was no other option,” Zondi said.
“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 alleged 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 told Zondi.
A confident Zondi replied: “It is a difficult case so I can understand if you are frustrated.”
Zondi first became involved in the church in 2009 at age 13.
The following year, she attended a national meeting hosted by the church in Durban when, she said, the alleged sexual assaults began.
“He groomed a 14-year-old to be his sex slave. I followed his instruction,” Zondi said.
“The man was very demanding.”
After allegedly suffering continued sexual abuse by Omotoso, Zondi left the church with the help of her mother in 2013, but, conflicted with what had happened to her, she attempted to take her own life in 2014.
A year later, she was convinced by former band mates from Grace Galaxy and Omotoso’s co-accused, Lusanda Sulani, 36, to attend a church crusade in Port Elizabeth, which she did in the hope of receiving an apology from Omotoso.
“In my head he was going to apologise to me. In my heart of hearts he would admit what he did was wrong,” Zondi said when asked by Daubermann why she would return to the church if she knew there was the possibility that she might be sexually assaulted again.
Zondi said she was again threatened by Omotoso that should she try to leave the church again she would either go insane or die.
“I realised at 19 that I had put myself in exactly the same spot I had been in before.”
After the lunch adjournment, Daubermann presented video footage of Zondi at the church’s 2015 gathering in Port Elizabeth where Zondi spoke to the congregation, telling them that she was happy to be back at the church.
“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.
She admitted that she had lied about her feelings at the time, saying this was because she still feared for her life.
Earlier in the day, Omotoso’s wife, Taiwo, was reprimanded by judge Mandela Makaula for interrupting court proceedings.
“Can you just tell the people in the second row‚ the lady with the colour-blind yellow thing‚ that she must stop making comments‚ that lady with the bright dress‚” a visibly annoyed Makaula said.
“She must stop making comments and gestures whilst this witness is testifying.
“The lady seated between the two gentlemen can you stand . . . Ma’am . . . can you please stop commenting and making gestures.”
Taiwo did not stand but raised her hand gingerly to the bemusement of those in the public gallery.
Since the beginning of the trial, Omotoso‚ his wife and others have smiled and commented during testimony.
Omotoso and his co-accused, Sulani and Zukiswa Sitho, 26, face 63 main and 34 alternative charges among them for crimes ranging from human trafficking to sexual assault and rape.
All three refused to plead to the charges.
Zondi is expected to continue under cross-examination on Wednesday before the court adjourns until Monday.
Should Daubermann not be done with his cross-examination, a new witness will be called and Zondi called back at a later stage to allow her to write an exam on Monday.