Nigerian Pastor acquitted of rape, Omotoso, rearrested in South Africa

A Nigerian televangelist, Pastor Timothy Omotoso, of Jesus Dominion International Church in South Africa, has been arrested by the Department of Home Affairs Immigration Inspectorate alongside South African Police in East London, South Africa. 

This was disclosed in a short video of the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), General Fannie Masemola, confirming the arrest on Saturday. 

According to the video shared on the SAPS X handle (formerly Twitter), the Nigerian pastor was arrested by the Department of Home Affairs Immigration Inspectorate together with the SAPS’ National Intervention Unit (NIU) and Tactical Response Team (TRT). 

General Masemola disclosed that the televangelist Omotoso was arrested around 5 am, immediately after church, on charges related to violation of the Immigration Act. 

“#sapsHQ The National Commissioner of the SAPS, General Fannie Masemola, confirms the arrest of Televangelist Timothy Omotoso this morning in East London by the Department of Home Affairs Immigration Inspectorate together with the SAPS’ National Intervention Unit (NIU) and Tactical Response Team (TRT) on charges related to the Immigration Act. ML,” the tarse statement reads. 

While the National Commissioner assured that Omotoso will appear in Court on Monday, he stated that the Home Affairs will communicate further details on the Nigerian Pastor’s charges.

 Recall that Omotoso was discharged and acquitted of rape and human trafficking charges that had been ongoing since 2017.

The 66-year-old senior pastor was accused of raping and trafficking young women, including members of the gospel group, Grace Galaxy and school-aged girls, before a court found him not guilty in April. 

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