A Nigerian televangelist, recently acquitted of multiple rape charges, has been rearrested by South African police for alleged immigration offences.
Timothy Omotoso, who was released last month after spending nine years in jail awaiting trial for rape and sexual assault allegations involving several young women from his church, was taken into custody again on Saturday.
His acquittal sparked widespread outrage in South Africa, as the presiding judge noted that although Omotoso’s explanations seemed implausible, the prosecution had mishandled the case.
According to Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola, Omotoso was apprehended by immigration officials and law enforcement in East London on Saturday morning, shortly after attending church.
“He will be facing charges related to violations to the Immigration Act and he will appear in court on Monday,” he said.
Timothy Omotoso, the 66-year-old leader of the Jesus Dominion International (JDI) church in South Africa, was initially arrested in 2017 on 32 charges, including rape, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking.
Several young women, some still in school at the time, testified that Omotoso had personally selected them for encounters, after which he would offer prayers for forgiveness.
In April, Judge Irma Schoeman of the Eastern Cape High Court criticized the prosecution’s handling of the case, ruling that the state failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt against Omotoso and his two co-accused, who also faced similar charges.
South Africa continues to grapple with alarming levels of gender-based violence, reporting over 42,500 rapes during the 2023–24 financial year, equating to an average of more than 116 incidents daily, according to police data.