South Africans have expressed outrage following the acquittal of Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso and two co-accused in a high-profile rape case.
A key witness, Cheryl Zondo, voiced her disappointment in the verdict, stating that she and fellow witnesses had hoped to prevent Omotoso from harming more women in the future.
“The main concern wasn’t even knowing what he did to us; it’s knowing that he is not going to stop, but he will continue to do this to other women,” Zondo said.
On Tuesday, Judge Irma Schoeman ruled at the Eastern Cape High Court in Gqeberha that the prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
“I am of the view that although there are aspects of the complainant’s evidence that are satisfactory, I cannot find that the evidence is incredible. However, I cannot find that the evidence of the accused should be rejected as false either. This is because the evidence was not placed in dispute during cross-examination,” Schoeman stated.
The ruling has sparked widespread backlash, with civil organisations criticising the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for failing to present a strong case against Omotoso. Many see the verdict as a miscarriage of justice, and social media, particularly X (formerly Twitter), has been flooded with messages of outrage.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) also condemned the justice system’s failure in this case.
“The NPA has once again failed the victims of gender-based violence. Many survivors already fear reporting crimes due to police victimisation and neglect by healthcare workers,” the party stated.
Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, expressed deep concern over the handling of the case and has called on the NPA to provide a detailed report on what led to the trial’s outcome.
“I have decided to invoke Section 33(a) of the NPA Act in relation to the Omotoso and others case,” she said in a statement.
In response, the NPA announced it would review the judgment and consider possible legal steps moving forward.
In a shocking development, community activist and whistleblower Pamela Mabini, who was involved in the case, was shot dead in early March while sitting in her car in the driveway of her home in KwaZakhele, Gqeberha.
Meanwhile, Eastern Cape NPA spokesperson Luxolo Tyali confirmed that Omotoso will be deported back to Nigeria.
