Timothy Omotoso, the Nigerian pastor recently acquitted of rape and human trafficking charges, has been rearrested by South African police over immigration-related offences.
The 66-year-old clergyman was picked up on Saturday morning in the town of East London shortly after a church service, according to the South African Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola.
Masemola said “Omotoso was arrested in the town of East London in South Africa on Saturday morning, “just after church.”
“He will be facing charges related to violations of the Immigration Act, and he will appear in court on Monday,” Masemola told reporters.
Omotoso’s fresh arrest comes barely a month after he walked free in April, following nine years behind bars. He had been standing trial since 2017 on multiple charges, including rape, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking involving young women from his church.
His release sparked backlash from South Africans who had followed the high-profile case for years. The judge had ruled that although Omotoso’s explanations were improbable, the case had been poorly handled by state prosecutors—leading to his acquittal.
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Several young ladies who testified during the initial trial accused the pastor of handpicking them and assaulting them, often telling them to pray for forgiveness afterward.
Omotoso leads the Jesus Dominion International (JDI) Church, based in South Africa, and has remained a controversial figure within the country’s religious and legal spaces.
