Omotoso and his co-defendant have been found not guilty on all counts.

April 2, 2025

Omotoso and his co-defendant have been found not guilty on all counts.

Nigerian televangelist pastor Timothy Omotoso and his co-accused, who were facing charges including rape, sexual assault and human trafficking, have been acquitted.

Arguments are being heard in the case of human trafficking accused pastor Timothy Omotoso for a special entry to be made in the court file with regard to the defence’s disgruntlement with how the prosecution has handled the matter to date. This means, should Omotoso and his co-accused be convicted, the defence has a leg to stand on for an appeal. While the case was being heard a large crowd was picketing outside the court building.
Picture Eugene Coetzee

In her ruling on Wednesday morning, Gqeberha high court judge Irma Schoeman found Omotoso and his co-accused, Lusanda Sulani and Zukiswa Sitho, not guilty, saying the state had failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Schoeman said when deciding whether the state had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt, the matter fell into the category where “in my view the explanations of the accused are improbable and I don’t subjectively believe them.”

However, due to the uncertainty of the state’s actions and the lack of proper cross-examination, she could not find that “the accused’s versions are so improbable that they cannot reasonably, possibly be true”.

Omotoso was arrested in April 2017 and had been in custody since then, until his acquittal today.