By Ollus Ndomu
After nearly eight years of legal proceedings, Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso and his co-accused were found not guilty by the Gqeberha High Court on Wednesday.
Judge Irma Schoeman cleared the 66-year-old leader of the Jesus Dominion International (JDI) Church of rape, human trafficking, and other charges.
Omotoso had faced a total of 63 charges alongside JDI members Lusanda Sulani and Zukiswa Sitho. The two co-accused were alleged to have recruited young women to stay at the church’s mission houses in Durban, where witnesses claimed Omotoso sexually assaulted them and made inappropriate remarks of a sexual nature.
Throughout the trial, Omotoso, Sulani, and Sitho maintained their innocence. The long-running case, marked by multiple postponements and legal arguments, had drawn significant public attention in South Africa and beyond.
Following the verdict, reactions were mixed, with supporters celebrating the acquittal while advocacy groups expressed disappointment, citing concerns over the broader fight against gender-based violence.
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