NPA pushes back announcement on next move in Omotoso case

JOHANNESBURG - The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has pushed back its highly anticipated announcement on its next move in the long-running case against controversial pastor Timothy Omotoso after suffering a massive legal blow in April.

The Nigerian televangelist was acquitted on all charges of rape, human trafficking, and sexual assault in April, after being accused of luring female congregants to his church, forcing them into sexual acts, and restricting their freedom to leave.

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His co-accused, senior church members Lusanda Solani and Zikiswa Sitho, were also acquitted in a move that angered activists and civil society organisations.

The NPA was set to announce whether it would appeal the Eastern Cape High Court’s decision on Monday, but has now deferred the media briefing to a later stage.

In a scathing judgment, Judge Irma Schoeman acquitted Omotoso and his two co-accused on a technicality.

The judge accused former prosecutors in the matter of acting improperly and failing to sufficiently cross-examine the trio, leading to a collapse in the case.

Adding to growing criticism, Omotoso’s accusers and advocacy groups hit out at the state for failing to deliver justice.

In April, EWN revealed that the Justice Ministry had written directly to NPA boss Shamila Batohi, raising concerns over the handling of the case and demanding clarity on how the state intends to proceed.

Internal sources have told EWN that pressure has been mounting from within government to restore public confidence in the criminal justice system, particularly in high-profile gender-based violence (GBV) cases.

While the NPA has deferred its decision for now, Omotoso is expected to appear at the East London Magistrate’s Court on Monday in a separate case.

Omotoso was rearrested at the weekend, allegedly flouting immigration laws.