A Nigerian televangelist, Timothy Omotoso, who was recently acquitted of raping young women from his church, was reportedly set to depart South Africa on Sunday, according to local media reports.
This development occurred just days after prosecutors announced their intention to reopen the case against him.
Omotoso was found not guilty on 32 charges, including rape, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking, last month after spending eight years in jail awaiting trial.
The acquittal sparked widespread anger across South Africa, with the presiding judge citing mishandling of the case by the prosecution.
Local news outlets, SABC and Newsroom Afrika television, reported that the 66-year-old pastor was scheduled to leave from Johannesburg’s OR Tambo Airport for his native Nigeria.
Images broadcast showed Omotoso at the airport.
The exact departure time of his flight was not immediately clear.
A transport ministry official indicated that Omotoso did not require special clearance to leave the country.
This week, state prosecutors announced their plans to appeal his acquittal on the rape charges and to investigate the team that initially handled the case, stating that they believe there are reasonable prospects of a successful appeal.
Omotoso is the head of the Jesus Dominion International (JDI) church, which has its headquarters in Durban, South Africa, and branches in Nigeria and Israel.
He was rearrested on May 10 on immigration-related charges, leading the South African government to state that he was subject to deportation.
However, a magistrates court ordered his release this week, ruling that he could not be detained for more than 48 hours without being formally charged on those specific immigration offenses.
Join Informant Online WhatsApp Channel With Link Below: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaihFajBadmT29ufud2
