Timothy Omotoso, a Nigerian televangelist and lead pastor of Jesus Dominion International church, was acquitted of rape charges in South Africa after spending eight years in jail.
He was later released, but was recently arrested and released again. He is now leaving SA, this also comes after his friend and colleague, Shepherd Bushiri who is also a fugitive in SA advised him to flee the country after his first release stating that the country is not good for him and does not deserve him.
He was accused of raping young women from his church, allegedly luring them to his house under the guise of religious mentorship, where he manipulated and abused them.
Timothy’s acquittal sparked national outrage, with women’s rights groups and survivors of gender-based violence expressing disappointment. Despite his acquittal, Timothy was rearrested on May 10 for breaching South Africa’s immigration laws and was declared a “prohibited person”.
He has since been deported to Nigeria, his home country, and is barred from returning to South Africa for five years. The South African government stated that Timothy was issued with a notification as an undesirable person due to overstaying his visa.
Acquittal: Timothy was found not guilty on 32 charges, including rape, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking.
Rearrest: He was rearrested for immigration charges after his acquittal.
Deportation: Timothy was deported to Nigeria and barred from returning to South Africa for five years.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) plans to appeal against Timothy’s acquittal, citing reasonable prospects of a successful appeal despite the complexities of the legal process.
Also see: Omotoso walks free once again
