A Nigerian televangelist, Timothy Omotoso, has been rearrested by South African authorities on immigration-related offences, just weeks after he was acquitted of multiple rape charges.
South Africa’s police commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, confirmed that Omotoso was picked up on Saturday morning in East London shortly after attending a church service. He is expected to be arraigned in court on Monday.
Omotoso, the General Overseer of Jesus Dominion International (JDI), was initially arrested in 2017 and faced 32 charges, including rape, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking. Several victims, some reportedly minors at the time, had testified that he took advantage of them under the guise of spiritual guidance, often asking for prayers of forgiveness after the alleged acts.
Despite the gravity of the allegations, the Eastern Cape High Court in April acquitted the 66-year-old pastor, citing lapses in the prosecution’s handling of the case. Judge Irma Schoeman noted that although Omotoso’s defence appeared unconvincing, the state failed to establish a strong case beyond reasonable doubt.
His acquittal sparked outrage across South Africa, a country grappling with one of the world’s highest rates of gender-based violence. Police records show over 42,500 rape cases were reported in the 2023–2024 financial year — an average of more than 116 cases per day.
Meanwhile, investigations into the new charges against Omotoso are ongoing.
