Court hears how Bishop Zondo gatecrashed his alleged rape victim's wedding

A man told the court how Bishop Stephen Zondo gatecrashed his wedding after allegedly raped the bride-to-be.

The rape trial of the leader of Rivers of Living Waters Ministries continued in the Pretoria high court on Friday with leading evidence from the husband of one of Zondo’s alleged victims.

Zondo allegedly lured the woman into his office in 2013 under the guise that he wanted to pray for her. But the pastor allegedly raped her and she was found by a witness half-naked in his office.

“We did not invite him. He doesn’t even officiate weddings,” he said.

Zondo denied attending the wedding. However, this was refuted by video evidence presented to the court which showed him mingling among the guests.

While the alleged rape happened in 2013, it was only in 2018 that his wife told him what had happened. He told the court that they never discussed it again but in 2019 he and his wife went to the Evaton police station to open a case of rape against Zondo.

Asked why it took them six years, he said his wife was not ready.

“I drove her to the police station. When I asked her why now, she said she felt she was not ready. She made her statement that same day. I made my statement on a different day,” he told the court.

He said he and his wife divorced the same year (2019) but remain on good terms and still live in the same house.

“She is aware that I am testifying but we do not discuss this case as I am not allowed to,” he said.

Zondo faces 10 counts of rape by seven women, most of whom are members of his church. According to testimonies heard in court, his alleged modus operandi would be to lure women into his office to pray for them, only to allegedly sexually assault or rape them.

The trial is set to continue on Monday.

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