NIGERIAN TELEVANGELIST TIMOTHY OMOTOSO REARRESTED IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR IMMIGRATION OFFENCES

Nigerian pastor Timothy Omotoso, recently acquitted of multiple rape and sexual assault charges, has been rearrested by South African authorities, this time on immigration-related offences.

Police confirmed the 66-year-old founder of Jesus Dominion International (JDI) was taken into custody on Saturday morning, shortly after a church service in the Eastern Cape town of East London.

“He will be facing charges related to violations of the Immigration Act and is expected to appear in court on Monday,” said Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola during a press briefing.

Omotoso’s arrest comes barely a month after his high-profile acquittal in April 2025, ending a legal battle that began in 2017. He had been behind bars for nine years pending trial on 32 counts, including rape, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking, involving several young women associated with his ministry.

Some of the alleged victims were reportedly still in school at the time of the abuse and testified that Omotoso had preyed on them under the guise of spiritual mentorship, often praying for forgiveness following the assaults.

In dismissing the charges last month, Eastern Cape High Court Judge Irma Schoeman noted that while Omotoso’s testimony appeared improbable, the prosecution failed to present a case beyond reasonable doubt, a misstep that ultimately led to the dismissal of charges against him and his two co-accused assistants.

The latest development casts a renewed spotlight on the controversial preacher and raises fresh questions about his legal status in South Africa.