Tribunal concludes hearing on allegations against Judge President

The Judicial Conduct Tribunal probing allegations of sexual harassment against Eastern Cape High Court Judge President Selby Mbenenge, has concluded its hearing.

The matter was postponed to October 21, when the parties will present their oral arguments.

Judge Mbenenge also concluded his evidence on Thursday, following a short stint of about an hour, during which evidence leader Salome Scheepers wrapped up her cross-examination of him.

Judge Mbenenge has been on the witness stand since Monday, during which he defended allegations by complainant, Andiswa Mengo, who claimed he had sexually harassed her. Judge Mbenenge had to face embarrassing accusations, which included that he had sent her pictures of his private part and that he tried to solicit oral sex from her in his chambers.

He appeared fed up with Scheepers’ questioning Thursday, which he described as being “malicious persistence.” Scheepers probed him about the allegations that he had sent explicit pictures of himself to Mengo.

Judge Mbenenge said: “We can repeat this 200 times; nothing will change. I did not send such pictures.”

Scheepers relented and said that it “is probable” that he had sent Mengo a picture of his private part. Judge Mbenenge, in return, asked her to give him a date when he had sent the picture, to which Scheepers said she could not, as he had “deleted the picture.”

He also told Scheepers that some of her questions were a matter for oral argument.

Judge Mbenenge also said he was “gutted” when Mengo later placed some of their conversations in the public domain. “I was gutted, as these conversations were only meant to be between us."

Scheepers also asked how he felt when Mengo told the Tribunal that the "consensual” chats between them, as described by Judge Mbenenge, made her feel dirty. The JP responded that “it is all lies.”

Scheepers ended her questioning by asking if, after everything which has unfolded before the Tribunal, he still believes that his conduct towards Mengo was not unwelcome. Judge Mbenenge abruptly responded, “no.”

He told the Tribunal on Monday that he hoped not to answer to the allegations made by Mengo, as they were all lies and very hurtful. He maintained that they had a consensual, flirtatious relationship.

Cape Times