Timothy Omotoso, the Nigerian televangelist who leads Jesus Dominion International Church, was taken into custody a second time in the early hours of Saturday in East London, South Africa.
The operation, carried out at about 5 a.m., involved officials from the Department of Home Affairs’ Immigration Inspectorate, the South African Police Service, and its Tactical Response Team.
Omotoso, 66, first entered the spotlight in 2017 when he was charged with 32 counts that included rape, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking.
Several young female congregants—some still of school age—testified that he singled them out for abuse, followed by prayers asking for divine pardon. After spending years behind bars awaiting trial, he was acquitted of those allegations last month.
National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola confirmed Saturday’s arrest, stressing that it was unrelated to the previous criminal case.
According to Masemola, Omotoso now faces immigration-related accusations and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, where the specifics of those charges are expected to be made public.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the precise immigration violations involved, but the fresh legal process will clarify the grounds for his renewed detention in the coming days.
