One of the women who accused Archbishop Stephen Zondo of rape said she kept the incident a secret until her aunt inquired about her wellbeing when she realised she was drinking excessively.

When she told her aunt in April 2021, she had not spoken about the rape, which she said happened in 2008.

On Monday, the woman, who is the second witness in the trial, gave her evidence in camera after prosecutors made an application for the public to leave the gallery as she had cited a medical condition.

According to the summary of evidence shared by NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana, the woman told the court that she received a call from Zondo in the summer of 2008 while she was at work.

The woman, who was 23 at the time, said she asked to be released early from work to meet Zondo in Vereeniging in the Vaal.

She said she was not a member of the church then but had known Zondo since she was 15 as he visited her grandfather.

She testified that when they met he allegedly requested her to get into the back seat of the car he was driving.

“She inquired where they were going but got no response from him. He drove towards Johannesburg. When they got to Southgate she asked again and got no response until they arrived at Formula 1 Hotel,” Mahanjana said in her summary.

The woman testified that Zondo gave her room keys and asked her not to talk to anyone but go straight to the room.

However, she asked a man at the hotel reception to show her the room.

When Zondo and the witness were in the room, he allegedly raped her and then dropped her off in Vereeniging, warning her not to tell anyone.

Mahanjana said the woman testified that Zondo allegedly offered her R75,000, which she said she never received.

“Out of fear she kept what had happened to herself until her aunt inquired about what was going on with her because of her heavy drinking because she was struggling to sleep and was dreaming of the incident. She eventually told her aunt.

“In 2012, she opened a case Lenasia police station, however the captain who was investigating the case died. After that she remembered what the accused had said [not to tell anyone] and did not pursue the case further,” Mahanjana said.

While listening to an online radio station she heard women who had a similar experience share their story on air and that the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL commission) could help.

The woman also gave evidence before the commission.

Zondo, founder of the Rivers of Living Waters Ministries in Evaton in the Vaal, is facing nine counts of rape, which include women who were members of his church and a relative.

He is also facing charges of defeating the ends of justice for allegedly offering R25,000 to one of the victims to drop the charges.

He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The trial continues.

dlaminip@sowetan.co.za