Omotoso rape trial prosecutor dies after testing positive for Covid-19

A senior prosecutor in the Timothy Omotoso rape and human trafficking trial has died four days after testing positive for Covid-19.

Advocate Zukile Mdolomba died on Saturday morning after testing positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) announced in a statement.

NPA spokesperson Anelisa Ngcakani said Mdolomba tested positive on Tuesday after getting sick on Monday.

Ngcakani said because the NPA was not in possession of the doctor’s report on the cause of death, it could not confirm that the cause of death was Covid-19 related.

Ngcakani said Mdolomba was one of three prosecutors working on the Omotoso trial.

“While advocate Mdolomba played a pivotal role in this case, especially the successful opposition of Omotoso’s recent application for bail, the two remaining prosecutors are equally capable of successfully prosecuting the case,” Ngcakani said.

Omotoso is currently in prison and on trial in the Eastern Cape High Court in Port Elizabeth on rape and human trafficking charges.

His co-accused, Lusanda Sulani and Zukiswa Sitho, are out on bail.

The three face 97 charges, including rape, human trafficking and racketeering, for allegedly targeting and recruiting young girls for sexual exploitation.