“You can’t say‚ ‘I don’t like this lawyer because he is defending somebody who has allegedly raped‚ and therefore I am going to start threatening this lawyer’. That is irregular and illegal‚” said Booth.
“The criminal court can be an antagonistic place for witnesses‚ and they have to be properly prepared.”
Dauberman’s cross-examination of Cheryl Zondi‚ one Omotoso’s alleged victims‚ sparked social media outrage. The Commission for Gender Equality said it intended to approach the judiciary and the General Council of the Bar to discuss what it termed unfair treatment of rape victims in court.
Commission chairperson Lulama Nare said: “Although the Commission for Gender Equality respects the independence of the judiciary‚ gender blindness cannot be used as a source of inadvertent secondary victimisation.”
Omotoso‚ 60‚ and his co-accused Lusanda Sulani‚ 36‚ and Zukiswa Sitho‚ 28‚ are facing a raft of charges in the high court in Port Elizabeth‚ ranging from sexual assault to rape and human trafficking.