Rape accused 'bishop' guns for judge's recusal

IT HAS been months since the State closed its case against Rivers of Living Waters Church leader Bishop Bafana Stephen Zondo, but rather than proceeding with his defence against the 10 mostly rape charges against him, Zondo is using all the legal avenues open to him to avoid this.

- ZELDA VENTER

When it was his turn to present his defence and to decide whether to take the witness stand or not, he chose to ask for his acquittal as he argued that at this point, the State did not prove that he had a case to answer to.

According to him, the evidence against him presented by the seven rape accusers was weak. Gauteng High Court, Pretoria Judge Papi Mosopa, however, in March turned down his application and said at this point, Zondo did have a case to answer to.

In hitting back, Zondo' legal team, headed by Advocate Piet Pistorius, has asked for the judge to recuse himself. But Judge Mosopa yet again shot this application down as he found the recusal application to be without merit.