The South African government has deported Timothy Omotoso, a Nigerian televangelist and senior pastor of Jesus Dominion International (JDI), based in Durban.
Omotoso, 66, had faced a protracted legal battle spanning eight years, during which he was accused of serious crimes including r@pe, racketeering, and human trafficking.
He was arrested by South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, known as the Hawks, on 20 April 2017 at Port Elizabeth International Airport. His arrest and the subsequent charges sent shockwaves through South African society. However, on 2 April 2025, the Eastern Cape High Court acquitted him of all 32 charges, citing procedural missteps by the prosecution, and he was released from prison.
Following his release, Omotoso was re-arrested by immigration authorities in East London on 10 May. According to a Sunday report by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), he consented to deportation and boarded a 3:10 p.m. flight to Lagos.
Dressed in a grey hooded jacket, black track pants, and sunglasses, Omotoso was escorted by police from the domestic arrivals terminal to the international departures terminal at O.R. Tambo International Airport, having arrived earlier from Durban’s King Shaka International Airport. He is expected to arrive in Lagos by 8:30 p.m. on Sunday.
South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs confirmed that Omotoso will be barred from re-entering the country for the next five years.
Omotoso, founder of the Ancient of Days Broadcasting Network (ADBN) and author of How to Enjoy Health and Wealth and Longevity, was at the centre of South Africa’s first high-profile r@pe trial to be televised live. The trial drew nationwide attention in a country battling high rates of sexual violence.
A 2025 BBC report revealed that a witness alleged during court proceedings in 2018 that Omotoso had r@ped her when she was 14. However, the court ruled him not guilty due to what it described as significant procedural failings by the prosecution. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) admitted that earlier prosecutors mishandled the case and failed to adequately cross-examine the defence. It also noted that the lengthy duration of the trial stemmed from numerous legal applications filed by Omotoso's defence team.
Omotoso’s co-accused, Lusanda Sulani and Zikiswa Sitho, were also acquitted of all charges.
The highly publicised case sparked a national debate about victims’ rights, judicial impartiality, and whether broadcasting court proceedings serves or hinders justice. As of press time, it was not yet confirmed whether Omotoso had landed in Nigeria.
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