A NIGERIAN pastor, Timothy Omotoso, recently cleared of rape charges, has been rearrested for immigration offences by South African authorities.
A statement released on Saturday, May 10, by the South African Police said Immigration authorities and the Police arrested Omotoso in East London town Saturday morning after church service.
“He will be facing charges related to violations of the Immigration Act, and he will appear in court on Monday,”
Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola stated.
Omotoso 66, is a pastor at the Jesus Dominion International (JDI) church based in South Africa.
He was arrested in 2017 on 32 charges, including rape, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking.
Omotoso was cleared last month, nine years after he was tried on charges of raping and sexually assaulting young women in his church.
His acquittal drew anger across South Africa after the judge found that the state prosecutors had mishandled the case against him.
Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola told journalists after Omotosho was arrested on Saturday, “He will be facing charges related to violations of the Immigration Act, and he will appear in court on Monday.”
Several young women, including students, accused Omotoso of selecting them for intercourse, claiming he would pray for forgiveness afterward.
In April, a judge, Irma Schoeman, of the Eastern Cape High Court criticised the prosecutors’ handling of the case against Omotoso, stating that the state failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Omotoso and his two co-accused were acquitted of all charges, including rape, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking, after being in detention for nine years during trial.
The judge’s criticism stemmed from the prosecutors failure to properly cross-examine witnesses and present evidence, which led to the acquittal.
A reporter with the ICIR
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