Get Guardian on GoogleNigerian televangelist and senior pastor of Jesus Dominion International (JDI), Timothy Omotoso, has been deported from South Africa following a series of legal and immigration troubles.
Omotoso was seen at O.R. Tambo International Airport in a video shared by SABC News, marking his return to Nigeria after years of legal battles stemming from his 2017 arrest on over 90 charges, including rape and human trafficking.
On April 2, 2025, the Eastern Cape High Court acquitted Omotoso of 32 charges. Judge Irma Schoeman criticized the prosecution’s handling of the case, ruling that despite questionable testimonies and improbabilities in the pastor’s defense, the state failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Many of the women who testified against Omotoso, some of whom were minors or members of a gospel group he created, claimed they were sexually abused and later coerced into silence.
Following his acquittal, Omotoso was rearrested on May 10 for immigration violations. His release and subsequent deportation have sparked renewed outrage in South Africa, where many still question the integrity of the legal proceedings.
