Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso has been deported from South Africa days after prosecutors announced plans to appeal his recent acquittal on multiple charges, including rape and human trafficking. The South African Home Affairs has also banned him from entering the country for five years. Omotoso is the Senior Pastor of Jesus Dominion International, based in Durban, South Africa, and the founder of Tim Omotoso Global Outreach and Ancient of Day Broadcasting Network.

Several young women accused Omotoso of luring them into his home in Umhlanga, South Africa, where he allegedly molested them. He was arrested in April 2017 shortly after landing at an airport in the country. In April 2025, a High Court in the Eastern Cape Division of South Africa acquitted him of 32 charges, including rape, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking, after eight years in jail. The acquittal sparked public outrage, with critics blaming prosecutorial missteps for the outcome.

Reports indicate Omotoso was deported from South Africa on Sunday, May 18, 2025, via Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport. A journalist with SA FM, Themba Dlamini, confirmed his deportation, noting that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) could request his repatriation if needed. Footage showed him speaking with immigration officials while wearing a grey hoodie and sunglasses. He was re-arrested on May 10, 2025, for immigration violations, but a South African magistrate ordered his release, stating he could not be held for more than 48 hours without formal charges. The NPA has announced its intention to appeal the acquittal and investigate the case's handling. National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), Fannie Masemola, confirmed the cleric’s arrest last week.

Meanwhile, Chairman/CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, received 12 trafficked girls and a five-year-old boy rescued from Ghana and Mali. The girls from Ghana are between 16 and 30 years old, while those from Mali are 27 and 35 years old.