Nigerian Pastor Omotoso Nabbed Again In S/Africa For Immigration Offences
A Nigerian pastor, Timothy Omotoso, who was recently cleared of rape charges, has been rearrested in South Africa over alleged immigration violations.
The 66-year-old televangelist, who leads the Jesus Dominion International (JDI) church, was picked up by immigration officers and police on Saturday morning in East London, shortly after a church service.
South Africa’s Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, confirmed the arrest and said Omotoso will be charged for breaching the country’s Immigration Act and is expected to appear in court on Monday.
Omotoso was first arrested in 2017 and spent nine years in custody while facing 32 counts including rape, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking.
Some of the victims, who were minors at the time, told the court how the pastor allegedly abused them under the guise of spiritual guidance and prayed after each assault.
He was acquitted last month alongside two aides after the Eastern Cape High Court ruled that the state failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The judge criticised the prosecutors for mishandling the case.
The verdict sparked widespread anger in South Africa, a country grappling with alarming rates of gender-based violence.
Police figures show more than 42,500 rape cases were reported in the 2023–2024 fiscal year—an average of 116 cases per day.
Sodiq Yusuf is a trained media practitioner and journalist with considerable years of experience in print, broadcast, and digital journalism. His interests cover a wide range of causes in politics, governance, sports, community development, and good governance.
