The senior pastor of Jesus Dominion International (JDI) church had faced 32 charges, including sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
A South African court has acquitted Nigerian televangelist Tim Omotoso of all charges, bringing an end to an eight-year-long legal battle that saw him jailed over allegations of rape and sexual assault.
The Eastern Cape High Court in Gqeberha, on Wednesday, ruled that the state prosecution had failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Omotoso, 66, was guilty of the charges levelled against him, according to News24.
However, he will be deported to Nigeria immediately.
The senior pastor of Jesus Dominion International (JDI) church had faced 32 charges, including sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
Delivering the verdict, Judge Irma Schoeman criticised the prosecution’s handling of the case.
While she acknowledged that Omotoso’s explanations were “improbable,” she stated that the burden of proof had not been met, leading to the acquittal of the pastor and his two co-accused.
Omotoso was arrested in 2017 amid accusations that he handpicked young women from his congregation and coerced them into sexual acts under the guise of spiritual guidance.
Some of the women who testified against him were members of a gospel music group he had founded called Grace Galaxy, while others were still in school at the time of the alleged incidents.
The prosecution argued that Omotoso had used his religious influence to exploit vulnerable women, often praying for forgiveness after each encounter.
However, the defence maintained that the allegations were baseless and lacked concrete evidence.
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