Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso is preparing for another legal showdown—this time against South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs—following what a court has called an improper arrest over the weekend.
Magistrate Kevin von Bratt ruled on Tuesday that Home Affairs failed to follow due process when detaining the 66-year-old preacher. As a result, Omotoso will remain in South Africa for now, despite the department’s earlier decision to reject his residency application and label him a “prohibited person.”
The ruling comes just weeks after Omotoso and two of his associates were acquitted of all 32 charges they faced, including rape, human trafficking, and racketeering. While the court found the state had not proven the case beyond a reasonable doubt, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) isn’t letting go without a fight. They have announced plans to appeal the judgment delivered by Judge Irma Schoeman.
Meanwhile, Omotoso isn’t staying silent. He is expected to take legal action of his own, challenging the Department of Home Affairs in the High Court over its attempt to remove him from the country.
For now, Omotoso remains free, but his legal troubles are far from over.