Sunday Times

Pastor from pulpit to prison

‘Friend of Jesus’ arrested in PE airport bathroom and will stay in jail until next month

- BONGANI MTHETHWA and TASCHICA PILLAY mthethwab@sundaytime­s.co.za pillayt@sundaytime­s.co.za

PASTOR Timothy Omotoso faces the “huge possibilit­y” of more sexrelated criminal charges against him.

He was arrested this week in Port Elizabeth and appeared in court charged with human traffickin­g and sexual assault.

Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Netshiunda of the Hawks said there was “a huge possibilit­y” more charges could follow.

“More charges are coming through and once we’ve got tangible evidence we will add them.”

Police are also investigat­ing claims that Omotoso sexually molested girls and women in two other countries.

Durban-based Omotoso is head of the Jesus Dominion Internatio­nal church group.

He was arrested in a bathroom at the Port Elizabeth Internatio­nal Airport on Thursday and appeared in court on Friday.

Earlier in the week police alleged Omotoso had taken women and girls from various branches of his church to a house in the upmarket Umhlanga Rocks area, north of Durban.

It was there, police said, that the girls were sexually abused.

In a TV show aired last week, the SABC’s Special Assignment said Omotoso is accused of molesting or raping about 30 women or girls.

The Nigerian pastor will remain in jail until at least May 3, when he is likely to apply for bail.

Omotoso’s family have gone into hiding and his television show on DStv and free-to-air channel Soweto TV has been withdrawn.

Phone calls to his wife, Taiwo, and to one of his sons, Victor, went unanswered. Text messages were not replied to.

“A number of things are being said about him,” said Netshiunda. “As the Hawks, it is our job to investigat­e and find facts. We are not ruling out anything.”

Social media was abuzz yesterday with claims that Omotoso had been banned from entering the UK. There have also been allegation­s of sexual abuse made against him by alleged victims in France.

Netshiunda could not confirm these claims, but said any allegation­s would form part of the police’s wider investigat­ion.

“We’re looking at so many things. We are looking into allegation­s in [other] internatio­nal countries. We are looking at this thing holistical­ly,” he said.

Omotoso’s supporters outside the Port Elizabeth magistrate’s court this week went on their knees praying for him.

Across social media, there was support for him.

UK-based television personalit­y and rapper Shoggy Tosh, who describes Omotoso as his mentor and “adopted father”, changed his Facebook and Twitter profile pictures to one of him with the preacher.

Postings on Facebook called Omotoso “a man of honour, truth and integrity” and “a friend of Jesus”. Others referred to him as “my daddy” and “my father”.

Twin sisters Anele and Neliswa Mxakaza, who joined Omotoso’s girls-only gospel group after being eliminated from Idols South Africa in 2013, supported him.

The twins left their Chestervil­le, Durban, home to move into the pastor’s Umhlanga home in 2014. Even though they left his group, they remained in the church.

The day before the Special Assignment investigat­ion aired, Neliswa wrote: “Timothy Omotoso. I’ll never forget your love and honesty, and mostly I’ll always carry your teachings in my heart.”

Omotoso’s church in Sasolburg — in a since-deleted Facebook post — had perhaps the most bizarre message of support.

“South Africa you just made the biggest mistake by arresting Rev Tim Omotoso,” the post said.

“So you will face the biggest natural disaster you never experience­d in your life within seven days. Mark my words. Rev Tim Omotoso is not just a man but a friend of Jesus.”

The Sunday Times has establishe­d that Omotoso’s Tuesday show on DStv’s One Gospel programme was pulled.

This came after 10 complaints were lodged via social media, said the channel’s head of content Robyn Smith.

“On Tuesday, April 18, all programmin­g received from Pastor Tim Omotoso’s Global Outreach organisati­on was pulled.

“In light of the current controvers­y around Pastor Tim Omotoso, we have completely removed the programmin­g from the channel and will no longer broadcast it,” she said.

The Sunday Times also establishe­d that constructi­on of his 4 000-seater church in Umhlali, about 45km from Durban on the North Coast of KwaZulu-Natal, has come to a stop, allegedly after the contractor was not paid.

According to a contractor, the land on which the church is to be built was bought for R7.5-million.

Excavation operations started in July last year but came to a halt in December.

As the Hawks, it is our job to find facts. We are not ruling out anything South Africa you just made the biggest mistake by arresting Rev Tim Omotoso

 ?? Picture on right: FREDLIN ADRIAAN ?? HALLELUJAH AND HANDCUFFS: Timothy Omotoso (red shirt) among his congregant­s and, right, being arrested this week and taken to jail
Picture on right: FREDLIN ADRIAAN HALLELUJAH AND HANDCUFFS: Timothy Omotoso (red shirt) among his congregant­s and, right, being arrested this week and taken to jail
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