Key points
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Bishop Zondo requests the judge’s recusal, claiming bias.
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Zondo’s legal team argues that the judge has already made findings about his guilt.
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The prosecutor defends the judge, saying no final decision has been made.
Bishop Bafana Stephen Zondo, leader of Rivers of Living Waters Church, is facing rape charges in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.
Zondo has asked the judge to recuse himself from the case. He argues that the judge has already decided he is guilty and cannot make a fair judgment.
Zondo argues for acquittal, says evidence is weak
Zondo faces 10 rape charges. After the State finished presenting its case, Zondo requested to be acquitted, arguing that the evidence was weak and that the victims were lying.
However, Judge Papi Mosopa rejected this request, stating that Zondo still had a case to answer. Zondo’s legal team, led by Advocate Piet Pistorius, then asked for the judge’s recusal, claiming that the judge had already formed an opinion about Zondo’s guilt.
Lawyer claims bias in the judge’s remarks
Pistorius argued that the judge’s comments during the discharge ruling indicated he had already decided Zondo was guilty.
According to Pistorius, the judge made these conclusions too early. He said the judge should have waited until the end of the trial to draw conclusions after hearing all the evidence. Pistorius further argued that the judge’s bias disqualified him from continuing in the case.
Prosecutor defends judge’s neutrality
Prosecutor Jennifer Cronje disagreed with the recusal request. She argued that Zondo’s legal team misunderstood the judge’s ruling.
Cronje explained that Judge Mosopa had not made any decisions about Zondo’s guilt. Instead, the judge stated that the evidence from the witnesses was credible, and Zondo needed to answer for it. She urged the court to deny the recusal request.
The court will decide on the recusal request on Friday, and the trial will continue.
