Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso has been rearrested in South Africa on charges related to immigration violations.
Omotoso, 66, was taken into custody early Saturday morning in East London, Eastern Cape, shortly after concluding a church service.
The arrest was carried out by the department of home affairs immigration inspectorate in collaboration with the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) National Intervention Unit (NIU) and Tactical Response Team (TRT).
“The National Commissioner of the SAPS, General Fannie Masemola, confirms the arrest of Televangelist Timothy Omotoso this morning in East London by the Department of Home Affairs Immigration Inspectorate together with the SAPS’ National Intervention Unit (NIU) and Tactical Response Team (TRT) on charges related to the Immigration Act. ML,” SAPS wrote in a statement on X (formerly Twitter).
In a short video posted on the SAPS platform, Fannie Masemola added, “He was arrested at 5 this morning in East London, when he was finishing at church.”
Masemola noted that Omotoso will appear in court on Monday and that further details on the charges will be provided by the Department of Home Affairs.
The rearrest comes weeks after Omotoso was discharged and acquitted by the Eastern Cape High Court in April on 32 charges, including rape, human trafficking and racketeering.
He and his co-accused, Lusanda Sulani and Zukiswa Sitho, were cleared after the court ruled the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The Nigerian pastor had been accused of exploiting and sexually abusing young women, including members of the gospel group Grace Galaxy and school-aged girls.
The high-profile case, which began in 2017, attracted widespread attention across South Africa and Nigeria.
Following the acquittal, some of the accusers expressed disappointment, while the CRL Rights Commission announced an inquiry into how the case was handled.
Omotoso is currently detained at Mdantsane Police Station, while authorities prepare for his court appearance on immigration-related charges.
