Overview
- Both sides delivered closing arguments on Tuesday before the Judicial Conduct Tribunal hearing allegations that Judge President Selby Mbenenge sent sexually explicit WhatsApp messages to secretary Andiswa Mengo.
- Evidence leader Salome Scheepers said Mengo’s account was consistent and argued her use of laughing emojis reflected discomfort rather than encouragement.
- Scheepers challenged defence expert Dr Vincent Mello’s value, noting he conceded he could not trace message origins and lacked qualifications to interpret emojis.
- Tribunal chair Retired Judge Bernard Ngoepe questioned whether the messages objectively showed unwanted advances and highlighted discrepancies, including conflicting timelines from witnesses.
- Mengo’s counsel rejected the defence’s portrayal of consensual, culturally rooted flirtation and argued the conduct fell below judicial standards, with the tribunal’s decision still pending.