Timothy Omotoso’s departure after a controversial acquittal highlights deep concerns about justice and accountability in South Africa.
The deportation of the televangelist Timothy Omotoso on May 18, 2025, marks yet another worrying pattern in South Africa’s criminal justice system: powerful people slipping away before full accountability is achieved.
Omotoso and his co-accused were acquitted on 32 charges of rape and human trafficking on 2 April 2025. However, instead of facing continued public scrutiny, Omotoso accepted voluntary deportation to Nigeria, just one day before the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed its intention to appeal the ruling on May 19, 2025.
If the appeal is successful, South Africa would need to seek Omotoso’s extradition, which is often an uncertain process, given the country’s poor track record with high-profile cases.
This follows earlier failures, where the Gupta brothers remained abroad after their extradition was mishandled. Shepherd Bushiri fled to Malawi and has never returned.
These examples reflect a justice system where influential people evade accountability with ease. These unjust cases have left South Africans with a recurring sense that justice only applies selectively.
The Omotoso case cuts even deeper because it intersects with South Africa’s gender-based violence (GBV) crisis. Cheryl Zondi, one of the first witnesses to testify how she was raped at 14 by Omotoso, expressed her concerns, stating that “evil prevails in this world.”
Zondi’s courage, and the collective trauma relived by sexual assault survivors, was sidelined by the court’s technicalities and the prosecutor’s unpreparedness.
Even more heartbreaking is the murder of Pamela Mabini, a community activist who supported victims in the Omotoso case. She received death threats and was eventually gunned down, a tragic reminder of the cost of seeking justice in this country.
The deportation of Omotoso before further legal accountability could unfold reflects poorly on our criminal justice system.
It is not just about one man leaving the country, it’s about how systems of justice are ignored, and how suspects can escape scrutiny by deporting them rather than pursuing accountability and justice.
The NPA’s leave to appeal came after the 10-day deadline had passed, raising further questions about whether proper procedures were followed.
South Africa’s fight against GBV cannot be won if high-profile people are allowed to walk away without consequences. Justice must be seen, felt, and established.
FEATURED IMAGE: Likho Mbuka. Photo: File/Paul Botes
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