Chapter 9 institutions spearheading inquiry into Omotoso acquittal want witness protection programme probed

JOHANNESBURG - The chapter nine institutions that are spearheading an inquiry into the acquittal of Nigerian televangelist, Timothy Omotoso, said that South Africa's witness protection must also be investigated.

The CRL, gender equality and human rights commissions will lead the inquiry after Omotoso and his two co-accused where found not guilty of crimes, including rape, human trafficking and racketeering last week.

The acquittal was largely attributed to apparent shoddy work by prosecutors.

The CRL's Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said that one of the State’s key witnesses, Cheryl Zondi, had to be taken into witness protection after her testimony, but was failed by the system.

"So it was an offer that had to be refused. You can’t tell someone who is seeing a psychologist supporting her, who has systems of friends supporting her, who is studying, that you must abandon your studies. So there is this story called witness protection programme which does not exist."