Complainant accused of omitting alleged salacious messages she sent to EC Judge President Mbenenge

JOHANNESBURG - Advocate Muzi Sikhakhane has accused a High Court secretary of purposely omitting alleged salacious messages she sent to Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge.

Sikhakhane alleges that Andiswa Mengo deliberately presented misleading evidence to the court by not submitting her responses to the judge president's alleged sexual advances.

Mengo laid a complaint against the top judge, accusing him of making unwanted sexual advances towards her.

She was a junior staffer in the division at the time.

If the judge is found guilty of gross misconduct, he could be impeached.

"Do you agree with me that a person who is untruthful is a liar?"

This is the question Sikhakhane posed to Mengo before the Judicial Conduct Tribunal tasked with investigating the claims she has made against Mbenenge.

Sikhakhane submitted that Mengo reciprocated the messages sent by Mbenenge but deliberately omitted this information in her statement.

"You don’t write that at some point in these discussions, you wanted half-insertion. In fact, we do not know when we read here that at some point that you have no particular sex position but you like to be surprised. In fact, you do not write that in these conversations, the objectification of women as stoves to be warmed for lustful men as meat to be marinated comes from you."

Sikhakhane argued that Mengo deliberately submitted misleading information in an attempt to absolve herself of any participation in the conversations.

"You also sent salacious messages. Is there a reason why you conceal those salacious statements from you? Can I put it to you that the reason is that you did not want those determining the panel point out that you too sent things that are disgusting?"

He added that Mengo did not mention the messages to present herself as innocent.

Sikhakhane submitted that the omission constituted a lie and was, therefore, perjury.