Rape-accused pastor Zondo's legal team wants trial to start from scratch
Bishop Stephen Zondo's lawyers also want four years’ worth of evidence to be discarded.
JOHANNESBURG - The lawyers for disgraced Bishop Stephen Zondo want his trial to restart from scratch and for four years’ worth of evidence to be discarded.
The leader of the Rivers of Living Water Church is accused of the rape and sexual assault of his congregants and his staff.
The State has closed its case, and it's now Zondo’s turn to make his.
But the embattled pastor wants the presiding judge in his matter, Papi Mosopa, to recuse himself, saying he had shown a bias and had already found him guilty.
It’s been years of twists and turns in the trial against Zondo, similar to the matter against Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso.
Like Omotoso, Zondo brought a discharge application that the court dismissed, and just like Omotoso, Zondo has brought an application for the judge to recuse himself.
His lawyer, Piet Pistorius, said that Judge Mosopa disqualified himself when he stated that the evidence before him was credible, reliable and trustworthy.
But State advocate Jennifer Cronje opposed this application, calling it frivolous.
"My lord indicated the court's view, prima facie view at this stage of the proceedings. Nowhere in this judgment did my lord make a finding that the accused was guilty."
Mosopa is expected to hand down judgment in the recusal application in two weeks.