Mbenenge's harassment hearing concludes

THE Judicial Conduct Tribunal, which is probing allegations of sexual harassment against Eastern Cape High Court Judge President Selby Mbenenge, has concluded its hearing, and the matter is postponed to October 21, when the parties will present their oral arguments.

- ZELDA VENTER

Judge Mbenenge also concluded his evidence yesterday, following a short stint of about an hour, during which evidence leader Salome Scheepers wrapped up her cross-examination of him.

He has been on the witness stand since Monday, during which he defended allegations by complainant, Andiswa Mengo, who claimed he had sexually harassed her.

Judge Mbenenge had to face embarrassing accusations, which included that he had sent her pictures of his private part and that he tried to solicit oral sex from her in his chambers.

He appeared fed-up with Scheepers’s questioning yesterday, which he described as being “malicious persistence.”

Scheepers probed him about the allegations that he had sent explicit pictures of himself to Mengo.

Judge Mbenenge said: “We can repeat this 200 times; nothing will change. I did not send such pictures.”