The alleged rape victim who is under 24-hour protection after testifying against Nigerian pastor Timothy Omotoso in South Africa, Cheryl Zondi has gone to court to stop her ex-lover from trying to sell a sex tape, according to media reports.
It was gathered that this action comes after someone threatened to sell the alleged sex tape to Timothy Omotoso, the man who is accused of sexually abusing her.
The 22-year-old student was granted an interim court order to prevent Johannesburg businessman Michael Brits from “disseminating, displaying, selling and/or duplicating photographs and/or videos of a sexual nature in which the applicant may appear”.
According to Zondi’s court application, Brits had reportedly expressed plans to sell the sex tape to Omotoso in order to tarnish Zondi’s reputation and possibly also to obtain a bribe.
Zondi told the Sunday Times that she had been in a relationship with Brits from February to October last year, however, she was unaware that a recording had ever been made.
She reportedly first became aware of his plans after she was contacted on November 1 by Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva, the chair of the commission for the promotion and protection of the rights of cultural religious and linguistic communities.
According to the Sunday Times, Mkhwanazi-Xaluva had been contacted by a whistleblower whose friend had socialised with Brits at a Sandton Hotel on October 30. During the night he had reportedly shown photographs and videos involving Zondi and had commented about plans to conduct a transaction with Omotoso.
Mkhwanazi-Xaluva also told the Sunday Times that she was aware of a R500 000 bounty, to have Zondi killed, that was being offered by Omotoso’s followers.
Pastor Timothy Omotoso and others accused of trafficking and rape.
“Criminal charges have not been laid yet. For now all we have is an interdict.” Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said if the man goes against the interdict, she will lay criminal charges because it is revenge porn. “A whistleblower warned us that this threat exists. This person said she has seen the footage and that the owner of the tape wants to sell it for R3 million, but he would accept R1,5 million,”Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said during a TV interview.
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Cheryl Zondi previously testified in the trial of Omotoso and his two co-accused in the Eastern Cape High Court in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. They are facing 63 charges and 34 alternative charges, which include rape, sexual assault and racketeering.
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