South African prosecutors have announced plans to appeal the acquittal of Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso, following nationwide outrage over the verdict.
Omotoso, who leads the Jesus Dominion International (JDI) church headquartered in Durban, South Africa, was cleared of rape charges despite being accused by about 20 women of sexual assault.
Some of the women claimed he raped them while they were still in school. The pastor was initially arrested in 2017 after a manhunt and charged with 32 offences, including human trafficking.
According to testimony presented in court, the 66-year-old allegedly handpicked his victims before assaulting them and would then offer prayers for forgiveness after each encounter.
Public anger erupted after a judge ruled that although Omotoso’s explanations seemed unlikely, state prosecutors had mishandled the case.
Dozens of women gathered outside the tribunal in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) in protest as the verdict was read.
In response, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) released a statement on Tuesday saying: “The NPA takes the view that there are reasonable prospects of a successful appeal despite the complexities of the legal process.”
The authority also revealed it is continuing an internal investigation into how prosecutors initially handled the matter.
“The scope of the investigation has been extended to include both prosecution teams, with a view to identify, if necessary, disciplinary steps to be taken against persons involved,” the NPA said, adding that a report would be made public in June.
Omotoso, who was recently arrested again for a separate immigration offence, has remained a polarising figure in South Africa, where gender-based violence is a major national concern.
His case even prompted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to speak out against what he described as a “pandemic” of such violence.
