The authorities in South Africa say they will follow to the end legal action against Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso who has left the country. Omotoso was found not guilty of rape last month. He was charged with sexually abusing young women from his Port Elizabeth church, but he denied the 32 charges against him.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has stated on May 19 that it will continue to appeal the verdict that found Mr. Omotoso not guilty, arguing that his presence is not necessary. According to South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs, Mr. Omotoso took a plane to Nigeria from OR Tambo International Airport, where he was captured on camera by public broadcaster SABC, while sporting dark sunglasses and a hoodie.
When Mr. Omotoso tried to flee South Africa in 2017, he was first taken into custody. One of his accusers claimed that the pastor had sexually assaulted her when she was fourteen years old. Following his acquittal, South African prosecutors acknowledged in a statement that “there are no legal grounds to prevent” Mr. Omotoso from departing the nation. The statement also mentioned South Africa’s “bilateral extradition treaty with Nigeria” and stated that if the appeal were granted, the authorities would request that Mr. Omotoso be extradited back to South Africa.
The Department of Home Affairs claimed earlier this month that Mr. Omotoso was in South Africa illegally, adding to his immigration problems following his acquittal in April. According to South Africa’s public broadcaster, the pastor left the nation on his own volition. In light of Mr. Omotoso’s designation as a “undesirable person,” the BBC has reached out to the NPA to inquire about the specifics of any possible extradition procedure.