Omotoso’s deportation at the top of citizens demands

by Nomonde Simelane

Amid the revelation of Nigerian pastor Timothy Omotoso’s acquittal, South African social media users have united to call for his deportation from the country with immediate effect.

South Africans have experienced a range of intense emotions recently as the tragic case of seven-year-old CweCwe’s rape on school premises has taken over the country, with citizens demanding justice for the child and her family. As they continue to call for #JusticeForCweCwe, it was revealed that after eight years in prison and attending trial, Nigerian pastor Timothy Omotoso and his co-accused Lusanda Sulani and Zukiswa Sitho were acquitted after being found not guilty of all charges by Judge Irma Schoeman at the Eastern Cape High Court.

News of the acquittal came as a surprise to social media users, as the notorious pastor faced a plethora of charges including racketeering, human trafficking, rape, sexual assault and contravention of the Immigration Act. According to these users, the least the South African government and justice system could do after continuously failing victims of Gender Based Violence (GBV) was to deport the Nigerian native with immediate effect.

With Herman Mashaba’s ActionSA leading the charge, South Africans have revealed their frustration with the verdict that found Omotoso not guilty of 63 charges. Much of the frustration has been directed towards the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for its inability to prove Omotoso’s guilt beyond any reasonable doubt, which Judge Irma cited as the leading reason behind her decision.

According to ActionSA and some citizens, deporting the pastor would be the only logical step to take, as South Africa should not be harbouring individuals who have had such serious allegations made against them. Furthermore, they believe that his presence in the country is “no longer in the public interest.”

With Omotoso’s current status classified as a ‘prohibited person’ by the Department of Home Affairs, his critics argue that he is technically liable for deportation under South African law, and have highlighted that despite the verdict, his continued stay in the country would pose a dnager to more young women in the country. These users believe that his ability to stay in the country can be attributed to some illegally obtained documents, further opening up South Africa’s governance to criticism.

Also see: Mzansi is shocked as Timothy Omotoso acquitted after found not guilty of all charges