Nigerian televangelist Tim Omotoso has been acquitted of 32 charges by a South African court, eight years after being arrested on allegations of rape and sexual assault involving several young women from his church.
Eastern Cape High Court judge Irma Schoeman criticized the prosecution’s handling of the case against Omotoso, 66, the senior pastor of the Jesus Dominion International (JDI) church based in South Africa. After the not-guilty verdict was announced, Omotoso, who had been in custody since 2017, fell to his knees and appeared to pray. The charges included sexual exploitation and human trafficking. Despite finding Omotoso’s explanations somewhat improbable, the judge ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt against him and his two co-accused. “The accused are found not guilty and are discharged on all the charges,” she stated.
Witnesses who testified against Omotoso claimed they were selected by the pastor, who would pray for forgiveness after each encounter. Some of the accusers were members of a gospel girl band called Grace Galaxy, founded by Omotoso, while others were still in school, according to the judge.
Outside the court in Gqeberha, dozens of women protested the ruling, reflecting South Africa’s ongoing struggle with high rates of rape and abuse against women and children. Just a day prior, thousands had gathered across multiple cities, demanding justice after the reported rape of a seven-year-old girl at her school last year, for which no arrests have been made.
According to police statistics, South Africa recorded 42,500 rape cases in the financial year 2023–24, underscoring the country’s persistent issue with sexual violence.
