Black Lawyers Association head refutes sex allegations

The Black Lawyers Association’s (BLA) suspended president has denied the allegations levelled against him, saying they are “fairytale fabrications of some Hollywood-like movie script”.

Mashudu Kutama has filed an urgent application in the High Court in Johannesburg, challenging his suspension. In his replying affidavit, Kutama argued that if the suspension stood, it would end his term by way of illegal means.

Kutama, whose term as president of the organisation ends in November, said there were no merits to justify his suspension. He also argued that the BLA constitution gave the respondents no authority or right to suspend him.

“The mere say-so of the complainant, irrespective of how graphic it could be or how serious it could seem at face value, must never be elevated to the level of compromising the due process of the law as well as rules of natural justice and the BLA constitution,” he added. Meanwhile, BLA secretary-general Mabaeng Lenyai said the decision to suspend Kutama was based on allegations that were serious and “highly disturbing”.

Lenyai said Kutama was suspended as a precautionary measure following allegations of misconduct levelled against him. She said on 23 May, the organisation received two complaints against Kutama from women in the BLA Student Chapter.

She said the complaints, while yet to be fully investigated, were “alarming”.

Kutama hit back, saying the Student Chapter did not lay a complaint. He said the complaint was laid by individual members of the Student Chapter. “Therefore, the insinuation by the respondents that I must be suspended simply because I interact with the Student Chapter is fallacious at best, and it should be rejected,” he argued in court papers. “The issues relating to the merits of the complaints are hearsay submissions which are inadmissible in law due to the absence of affidavits of the complainants.

“Those complaints are fairytale fabrications of some Hollywood-like movie script.

“I did see the complainants on the date in question and they were going in and out of my room to buy or take liquor from their respective rooms and were drinking in my room. I never attempted to have sex with any of them or tried same or coerced them to do me some sexual favours.” –