The South African government has sent back Timothy Omotoso, a popular Nigerian pastor who leads Jesus Dominion International in Durban. Omotoso, who is 66 years old, faced a long legal fight that lasted eight years. He was accused of serious crimes such as r@pe, racketeering, and human trafficking.
Omotoso was first arrested on April 20, 2017, by South Africa’s special crime unit called the Hawks at Port Elizabeth International Airport. His arrest shocked many people across the country. After many years in court, on April 2, 2025, the Eastern Cape High Court found him not guilty of all 32 charges. The court said the prosecution made big mistakes during the trial, so Omotoso was released.
Soon after his release, Omotoso was arrested again by immigration officers in East London on May 10. He agreed to be deported and boarded a flight to Lagos at 3:10 p.m., according to the South African Broadcasting Corporation. At the airport, he was escorted by police from the arrivals area to the departures terminal. Omotoso was expected to arrive in Lagos by 8:30 p.m. on Sunday.
South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs confirmed that Omotoso will not be allowed back into the country for the next five years.
Omotoso is the founder of the Ancient of Days Broadcasting Network and the author of books about health and wealth. His trial was South Africa’s first high-profile r@pe case to be shown live on television. The case drew a lot of attention in a country where sexual violence is a serious problem.
During the trial, a witness said Omotoso r@ped her when she was only 14 years old. But the court found him not guilty because the prosecutors did not do their job well. The National Prosecuting Authority said earlier lawyers did not properly question the defense. The trial also took a long time because Omotoso’s lawyers made many legal requests.
Two other people accused with Omotoso, Lusanda Sulani and Zikiswa Sitho, were also found not guilty.
This well-known case started a national conversation about the rights of victims, fairness in the court system, and if showing trials on TV helps or hurts justice. At the time of writing, it is not yet confirmed if Omotoso has safely arrived in Nigeria.
