A bible teacher at Pacific Regional Seminary, Reverend Dr Donal McIlraith has told the High Court in the rape trial of the Leader of Jezreel Lion of Judah, Jone Cokanauto that the story of Jesus and the Samaritan Woman at the well does not include any element of sex.
This issue has been clarified as the four prosecution witnesses had earlier said that Cokanauto’s biblical teaching was focused on the Samaritan woman.
Reverend Doctor McIlraith also said that he thinks that Jesus is offering the gift of the Holy Spirit as water is sometimes interpreted as the Holy Spirit.
The prosecution brought in Reverend Dr McIlraith after Judge Justice Salesi Temo told the prosecution to find a person qualified to give an explanation on the story about the Samaritan woman.
Earlier today, the fourth state witness in Cokanauto’s rape trial has told the court that she consented to Cokanauto kissing her and performing a sexual act on her, and that he did not attempt to rape her.
During cross examination by the defence counsel, the woman said she gave her consent based on her own biblical interpretation about the Samaritan woman at the well.
When the defence put to her that Cokanauto did not attempt to rape her, the prosecution witness said that she was not sure.
The defence then put to her that Cokanauto did not kiss her lips and perform a sexual act on her.
The woman again said that she is not sure.
She also said that she cannot remember where she heard the bible teaching about the Samaritan woman.
During the re-examination, she told the court that Cokanauto lay on top of her but they did not have sexual penetration.
She said that she gave her consent because she wanted to be redeemed.
The woman then told the court that it was based on her interpretation of Cokanauto’s teaching.
She said that it was a biblical teaching as the woman was going to the well to fetch water and only Jesus had the living water to satisfy her spiritually.
The woman said that she took it literally that the water of life is Jone Cokanauto’s semen and that she needed that to be cleansed from her guilt.
When asked on who had told her that she needs to be redeemed, the prosecution witness said that she told herself that it needed to be done.
Cokanauto has pleaded not guilty to five counts of rape, four counts of indecent assault and one count of attempted rape.
It is alleged that he committed the offences in Nasinu and Taveuni between 2005 and 2012.
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