Peter Dauberman‚ the lawyer representing rape-accused Nigerian pastor Timothy Omotoso‚ has asked presiding officer Judge Mandela Makaula to recuse himself from the case.
“I have instructions to ask your Lordship to recuse yourself from the trial. I am going to place certain remarks that your Lordship made under scrutiny.”
Dauberman told the court that his clients‚ Omotoso and his co-accused‚ want Makaula to excuse himself from the trial and allow another judge to take over.
Omotoso‚ 60‚ and his co-accused Lusanda Sulani‚ 36‚ and Zukiswa Sitho‚ 28‚ face a litany of charges ranging from human trafficking to sexual assault and rape.
In an affidavit read out in court‚ Omotoso said Makaula’s comments‚ wishing state witness Cheryl Zondi well for her exams‚ were biased against him. She is a University of Johannesburg marketing student.