The tribunal told emoji use does not always reflect standard meanings in probe

A computer expert faced tough questions about emoji meanings during a major court hearing. Dr Vincent Mello had to explain what different symbols really mean when people send them on phones. The case involves a top judge accused of sending dirty messages to a female worker. Advocate Salome Scheepers asked hard questions about whether emojis always mean what people think they mean. She wanted to prove that messages between Judge President Selby Mbenenge and secretary Andiswa Mengo were misunderstood.

Mbenenge thinks Mengo sent him sexy signals through a monkey emoji that covers its eyes with hands. The judge believed this picture meant she wanted to flirt with him when he asked for private time together. Mengo had sent a Bible verse along with the monkey picture after he suggested they meet up in East London. The judge took this as a green light for romance between them. He claims the emoji showed she was being playful and interested.

Scheepers attacked this idea during her questioning of the technology specialist. She pointed out that official emoji websites never list flirtatious as a meaning for the monkey symbol. Unicode data laboratory and Emojipedia both give different explanations for what the image represents. Mello agreed that nowhere do these sources say the monkey emoji means someone wants to flirt. This evidence could damage the judge's defense against harassment charges from his former employee.