Late start to Omotoso retrial as Daubermann hounds officer who took first witness statement

The retrial of rape-accused pastor Timothy Omotoso and his co-accused, Lusanda Sulani and Zukiswa Sitho, has had a late start in the Port Elizabeth High Court on Monday due to Omotoso’s defence, Peter Daubermann’s intent to question the officer who took first witness Andisiwe Dike’s initial statement regarding what happened during her stay at the mission house.

While the situation remains quiet outside the court, the trio is expected back in court as Dike’s initial statement of sexual advances while at the mission house continues to be probed by Daubermann.

Last week, the court heard how the officer who took Dike’s statement was in Namibia and would only be back on Friday. The judge then agreed to have court resume on Monday providing Daubermann adequate time to gain clarity on Dike’s statement.

In chilling testimony last week, Dike told the court how Omotoso’s co-accused knew about what happened in the Durban mission house.

She made the discovery when Sulani and Sitho confessed while at the mission house that they too had been summoned for “appointments” by Omotoso in the past.

“We were sitting and talking in the prayer room and accused two (Sulani) said not everyone had appointments with accused one (Omotoso).”

Private sexual sessions with Omotoso were called “appointments”, the court heard.

She mentioned that Sulani stopped going to the appointments a long time ago. She said she must have gone twice for the appointments and then stopped.

Accused three (Sitho) would always be in the apartment and made her confession while they were preparing clothes for Omotoso.

“She said she wore boyfriend jeans deliberately because Omotoso didn’t like torn clothes, so she deliberately wore them so he could send her away.”

Dike also told the court that both Sulani and Sitho were married to men who were close to Omotoso.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.