Popular South-African Based Nigerian Preacher Arrested For Alleged Rape of Church Members

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Popular Nigerian Tele-evangelist, Timothy Omotoso has been arrested over his alleged forcefully keeping 30 underage South African girls, including women who were trafficked from various branches of his church to his Umhlanga home in Umhlanga Rocks, Kwa- Zulu-Natal, where he has been sexually exploiting them for years.

According to online reports, the 58-year-old General Overseer and Senior Prophet of Jesus Dominion International Church, who is popularly known for his works of miracles by his congregation and televised audience was arrested for rape, kidnapping and sex trafficking charges in Durban, South Africa.

He appeared in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court yesterday after he was arrested at the Port Elizabeth Airport on Thursday.
Before his eventual arrest, a manhunt had been conducted to find and apprehend him after the news of his molestation of 30 young women was brought to the fore by the South African Broadcasting corporation.

South African security spokesman Lieutenant- Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the preacher had been charged with human trafficking. “There is a possibility of us adding more charges,” Robert Netshiunda said.

Corroborating this view, Pamella Mbini, 37, said Omotoso had allegedly been abusing minor congregants as far back as 2002. She said: “They told us that their pastor is sleeping with them without their permission. However, they are scared to come out and say exactly what is happening.”

The Nigerian pastor allegedly molested more than 30 young girls on the pretext of rescuing them from drugs.

Some of the girls had reportedly dropped out of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, while others began traveling while singing for the pastor’s group, known as Simply Christolite.

Bishop Vusi Dube of the National Interfaith Council of South Africa said he had always had reservations about the way Omotoso conducted himself and challenged all Nigerian Pastors to openly condemn his acts.

“I challenge all honest Nigerian pastors to condemn this. If they don’t, there will be assumptions that they have no problem with this behaviour.”

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