A Nigerian televangelist, Timothy Omotoso has been acquitted of rape after spending eight years in prison in South Africa.

Advertisements

Trouble started when the televangelist was accused of raping young women from his South African church, an accusation he denied when he was arrested eight years ago.

Advertisements

His trial was aired live I South Africa and gained interest across the country, but insisted that he was not guiltynof 32-count charges against him.

In 2018, one witness told the court she had been raped by the pastor – who ran a church in the city of Port Elizabeth – when she was 14 years old.

The presiding judge on Wednesday 1st April, 2025 delivered judgement, saying Pastor Timothy Omotoso has not bèn found guilty over this case because prosecutors had mishandled the case.

South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) shared a similar assessment, saying that “former prosecutors in the case acted improperly and the accused were not sufficiently cross-examined by the state”.

The NPA said it will now “consider its legal options”.

For his part, Mr Omotoso told the media he thanked God for the verdict.

His co-accused, Lusanda Sulani and Zikiswa Sitho, were also found not guilty.

Mr Omotoso was dramatically arrested at an airport in 2017 as he sought to leave the country.

His trial was the first prominent rape case to be broadcast live in a country where sexual violence is rampant.

The hearings attracted huge interest, and raised difficult questions about victims’ rights, impartiality and whether justice is best served by having television cameras in courtrooms.

Following Wednesday’s verdict, Mr Omotoso will be deported to Nigeria, South African media outlet News24 reported.

Advertisements

The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared that it has been vindicated by recent revelations from the state’s former Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke.

Advertisements

The Rivers APC Chairman, Chief Tony Okocha, stated this in a statement he personally signed and made available to journalists on Wednesday.

Advertisements

The former Head of Service, who recently resigned had alleged that the suspended Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, was directly responsible for the political crisis in the state and the bombing of the State House of Assembly.

In response, the Rivers State APC asserted that Nwaeke’s testimony aligns with the party’s long-held position, as frequently stated by Chief Okocha, that the suspended governor was the architect of the state’s political crisis, including masterminding the October 29, 2023, bombing of the State House of Assembly.

Chief Okocha further emphasized that Nwaeke’s account, given his high-ranking position in the state, cannot be dismissed as mere speculation.

He said attempts to discredit the former Head of Service will not deter him from exposing the alleged corruption and misconduct that the APC has repeatedly highlighted.

“What is most interesting to the APC in Rivers State as a responsible political party is that Dr. George Nwaeke’s revelations and testimonies of how suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his squad bombed the Rivers State House of Assembly is an eye witness account.

“Again , it has clearly vindicated the APC in Rivers State as the only visible and viable opposition political party in the State, and has cemented the love for the party in the heart of well meaning Rivers people as the voice of the voiceless, and the hope for a better Rivers State.

“The revelations made by the former Head of Service in Rivers State has further positioned her as a political party with high level of integrity, and the hope of Rivers people for a viable alternative to produce the Governor of Rivers State in 2027.

“The verbal attacks staged against the resigned Head of Service will not deter him from exposing the corruption within Sim Fubara’s administration, which we have consistently highlighted as the opposition party. On this matter, the APC shall function as watchdogs”, the party stated.

Chief Tony Okocha expressed confidence that security agencies would thoroughly investigate the matter.

“The APC in Rivers State strongly believes that the relevant security agencies will be professional enough to get to the root of the matter and make their findings public”, he said.

Advertisements

A coalition of civil rights organizations, the Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness (CCLCA), has called for an immediate and thorough investigation into the allegations leveled against suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, by Dr. George Nwaeke, the former Head of Service of the state.

Advertisements

During a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, Dr. Gabriel Nwambu, Director General of the CCLCA, urged the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), Department of State Services (DSS), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to take swift action in probing the allegations. He emphasized that if proven true, these claims pose serious risks to governance and democracy.

Advertisements

The coalition, comprising 30 civil society organizations, stands in solidarity with Dr. Nwaeke, who has expressed willingness to provide evidence of alleged corruption and constitutional breaches involving Governor Fubara and his Chief of Staff, Mr. Edison.

“We collectively urge the relevant authorities to act swiftly and transparently. Addressing these allegations is critical to restoring public confidence in governance at both the state and national levels,” Dr. Nwambu stated.

He commended President Ahmed Bola Tinubu for his intervention in Rivers State, which led to the declaration of a state of emergency, a move he described as crucial for stabilizing the region.

Dr. Nwaeke’s accusations against Governor Fubara include:

Arson and Sabotage: Allegedly instructing his Chief of Staff to burn down the Rivers State House of Assembly to prevent impeachment proceedings, a violation of Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution.
Corruption and Financial Misconduct: Claims of large sums of money being used for personal and illegal activities, contravening Section 15(5) of the Constitution.
Threats to Public Safety: Alleged plans to sabotage state infrastructure, potentially inciting public disorder, which falls under Section 1 of the Terrorism Prevention Act (2011).
Collusion with Militant Groups: Alleged meetings between the governor, his Chief of Staff, and militant leaders, posing a threat to national security and violating Section 43 of the Constitution.
Suppression of Labour Rights: Alleged attempts to bribe labour leaders to silence dissent, contravening Section 40 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of assembly.

The coalition has urged law enforcement agencies to ensure a thorough, transparent, and expedited investigation into these allegations.

Advertisements