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By Gopolang Chawane

Journalist


Court hears how Dike attended rally calling for Omotoso’s release

Witness Andisiwe Dike fielded some tough questions from Omotoso's counsel, who wanted to know why she would attend a rally calling for his release.


As the rape and human trafficking trial of Timothy Omotoso gains momentum, first witness Andisiwe Dike has told the court that she participated in a rally that was calling for Omotoso’s release after his arrest in 2017.

Monday marked the second week that Dike was on the stand in the Port Elizabeth High Court, tabling details that led to her recruitment to the Durban mission house where Omotoso is alleged to have made sexual advances at some of the women at the house.

Although Dike could not recall the exact details of when the rally was, the court heard how she was working at a call centre at the time and was called from the mission house to attend the rally calling for Omotoso’s release from prison, shortly after his arrest in 2017.

While Dike faced Daubermann’s line of questioning regarding the details of what occurred at the mission house, Daubermann told the court that Omotoso denied Diko’s allegations.

Asked how she felt after she heard of Omotoso’s arrest, Dike said she was confused at the time.

She told the court how the rally for Omotoso’s release started at a park near the Durban University of Technology. Daubermann then asked why she campaigned for Omotoso’s release, to which she responded it was under the instruction one of the co-accused.

While Dike refuted the allegations from one of the accused that she was a prostitute and a street vendor before, Daubermann told the court that the private appointments she testified about never occurred, according to Omotoso.

Court has adjourned and will resume on Tuesday.

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