Lynn Williams
Explicit details of how a woman who was allegedly sexually assaulted by Nigerian Pastor Timothy Omotoso emerged on Friday as the trial continued in the Gqeberha High Court.
Omotoso and his co-accused Lusanda Sulani and Zukiswa Sitho are standing trial on over 90 charges which include rape, sexual assault, money laundering, and racketeering.
The witness, who was 17 years old at the time, said the alleged sexual offenses spanned five years and had taken place in Durban, Nigeria, and Israel.
She traveled abroad with Omotoso and other members of the church's Grace Galaxy choir.
According to the witness, the incident in Israel had left her particularly numb since it happened in the Holy City.
When summonsed to Omotoso's bedroom he would instruct the witness to undress and instruct her to massage his feet or thighs.
Omotoso would pray each time the alleged sexual offenses were committed, the court heard.
During cross-examination of defense attorney, Peter Daubermann, the witness conceded that she did not resist Omotoso's advances.
Daubermann put it to the witness that on her version, Omotoso would not have had any reason to believe that she was not a willing participant.
"I was scared of him (Omotoso). He had complete authority over me," she said.
The trial will resume on Monday.
