A Nigerian televangelist, Timothy Omotoso, has been rearrested in South Africa on immigration offenses, just days after his acquittal on multiple rape charges, South African Police said this on Saturday.
Omotoso was arrested by immigration authorities and police in East London on Saturday morning.
The 66-year-old pastor at the Jesus Dominion International (JDI) church based in South Africa was arrested in 2017 on 32 charges, including rape, sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
Several young women, some of whom were still in school at the time, testified that they were handpicked by Omotoso, who would pray for forgiveness after each encounter with them.
In April, Eastern Cape High Court judge Irma Schoeman criticised the prosecution’s handling of the case, saying the state had not proved beyond a reasonable doubt its case against Omotoso and two assistants, who also faced charges.
South Africa has one of the highest rates of rape and gender-based violence in the world.
Over 42,500 rapes were reported in the 2023-24 financial year, according to police statistics, amounting to more than 116 rapes per day.
AFP
