He prayed, then raped me – woman testifies at bishop’s trial

Rivers of Living Waters Ministries’ bishop faces multiple counts of rape

A congregant has testified in court how she fainted when Bishop Stephen Zondo was praying for her only to wake up naked, her clothes scattered all over and feeling as if she just had sexual intercourse.

The 33-year-old woman, who was testifying at the Sebokeng regional court on Monday, is one of Rivers of Living Waters Ministries congregants accusing their pastor of rape.

Zondo is facing five counts of rape and three of sexual assault, which allegedly happened in Evaton, Vereeniging and Robertsham.

This is Zondo’s second rape trial. He currently has an ongoing case in the Pretoria high court where he faces 10 counts of rape by seven women, most of whom are members of his church. 

According to testimonies heard in court in the Pretoria case, his alleged modus operandi was to lure women into his office to pray for them, only to allegedly sexually assault or rape them.

In the second case heard in Sebokeng on Monday, the woman – who used to work at the church – accused Zondo of raping her on four occasions and sexually assaulting her at church and also at his home in Vereeniging.

The woman alleged that in November 2013, Zondo raped her in one of the church offices and offered her leftover food to give to her father afterwards.

She said before the rape she was at home when she received a call from her mother telling her to leave everything and rush to church because Zondo wanted to see her.

Upon her arrival at the church, Zondo told her to sit down, she said.

“When I got to church I found him in another pastor’s office. He told me to sit down as he was going to pray for me.

“I don’t remember the conversation between us, I just remember him praying and I fainted. When I woke up I was naked and felt like I had just had sexual intercourse and my clothes were scattered on the floor.

“He was fully dressed.

I felt he was disrespecting my father but I took the food, threw away the pap he had eaten and took the meat home.Rivers of Living Waters Ministries congregant

“He asked me how I felt, where do I come from and what do I remember. I rushed to get dressed because I was ashamed I was naked.

“Staff then brought him food.  He ate a bit and then told me to take the food to my father.

“I felt he was disrespecting my father but I took the food, threw away the pap he had eaten and took the meat home,” she said.

Court had to be adjourned for a few minutes to give the woman time to gather herself as she kept on breaking down while giving her testimony

The woman further described how the man of the cloth again raped her at his home in Vereeniging asking her to relieve him.

“He asked to pray with me, I took a taxi to Vereeniging and he picked me up where I got off.

“When we got to his house, he gave me a bottle of water from the church that we call miracle water.

“We then prayed. After praying he said I must follow him to the bedroom. I was afraid because I knew what was going to happen.

“He came close to me and said I must give him a hug and when I refused he got angry and said I was rejecting him like everybody else. He said he trusts me with his weakness.

“I didn’t know what to do, I was confused, and he asked me to ‘relieve him’. He took off my top, saying ‘please relieve me’. 

“I was just powerless to fight, I was confused. He undressed himself and I also took off the pants I was wearing.

“He told me to lie on the bed where there was a towel. He took miracle oil, gold in colour, and applied it on himself before he raped me,” she said

The court was fully packed with members of Zondo’s church who were there to support him.

The other supporters who were outside the court kept singing ‘phakama bishop Zondo ixesha lifikile’ (rise up bishop your time has come).

Zondo is out on a warning and is expected back in court on January 25.

SowetanLIVE