Nigerian pastor and televangelist Timothy Omotoso has been deported from South Africa and has returned to Nigeria.

He flew out from OR Tambo International Airport on Sunday, arriving in Lagos.

Omotoso was first arrested in 2017 facing 32 serious charges, including rape, human trafficking, and racketeering. Two women from his church were also accused alongside him.

In April, a judge at the Gqeberha High Court found Omotoso and the two women not guilty and cleared them of all charges.

Earlier in May, Omotoso was arrested again, this time for immigration-related issues.

The court later ruled that the Department of Home Affairs did not follow proper legal procedures when arresting him, so he was released.

The Department of Home Affairs has now banned Omotoso from returning to South Africa for five years.

Omotoso is expected to challenge this ban in court, arguing against how Home Affairs handled his case.

The department has declared him a prohibited and undesirable person in South Africa, meaning he is not allowed to come back during the ban.

He can only apply to return to South Africa after five years, and this has been clearly communicated to him.