SA Cringe As Eastern Cape Women Celebrate Timothy Omotoso’s Release From Jail
- South Africans had mixed reactions to the news of Timothy Omotoso’s release from jail after being arrested eight years ago
- Members of his church were happy for the now-innocent man and shared videos expressing their joy for the pastor
- Social media users cringed as they watched women from the Eastern Cape celebrating the televangelist
- A feminist and gender based violence activist shared her disappointment with South Africa’s justice system
Timothy Omotoso had been awaiting trial at the Port Elizabeth High Court for charges of human trafficking, sexual assault and racketeering since 2017.
Source: Getty Images
The Nigerian man is now a free man after the South African justice system declared him not guilty of the 32 charges he was accused of, on Wednesday.
Women celebrate Omotoso’s release
The Nigerian pastor and televangelist, Timothy Omotoso, walked out of court as a free man after awaiting trial since 2017. The 66-year-old caused quite a buzz online after the South African justice system declared him not guilty of all 32 charges against him.
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Mzansi people questioned the verdict and expressed their disapproval online while members of the pastor’s Jesus Dominion International Church celebrated his release in the streets of the Eastern Cape. Videos of the festivities were shared online and went viral.
Omotoso’s supporters held up boards with his face on them and cheered while wearing matching T-shirts. One woman could not contain her joy and screamed:
“My father! My father!”
People honked their horns as they drove down the street to express their joy and excitement for their pastor’s return home.
Watch the TikTok video below:
GBV activist unhappy with SA justice system
A feminist and gender based violence activist, Onele Deleki, expressed her disappointment:
“Omotoso had more than 30 charges against him. There were witnesses too! So many people spoke up. And you're telling me the court couldn't even find him guilty on anything? The justice system is so messed up and we're so tired of the same thing over and over. Perpetrators are being favoured and victims are being left in the cold like they do not matter.”
Omotoso’s charges in SA
According to BBC News, Timothy Omotoso was accused of sexually assaulting young women from his church in South Africa. In 2018, a lady told the court that the pastor had assaulted her at the age of 14 years old.
The judge stated on Wednesday that Omotoso was found not guilty because the case was mishandled by prosecutors. The pastor's co-accused, Lusanda Sulani and Zikiswa Sitho were also found not guilty.
Source: Getty Images
SA cringe at EC women celebrating Omotoso
Social media users were not happy about Omotoso being a free man and how his supporters celebrated his freedom:
@Tsholo_🫢 was in disbelief:
“This must be a prank.”
@Thabo Motaung commented:
“I still believe Cheryl Zondi.”
@Liso 👁️ was disappointed:
“Yesterday, people were protesting for Cwecwe, and today they're celebrating the fact that Omotoso was found not guilty. People from the Eastern Cape.”
@☁️ said:
“I was also in a cult church, I believe Cheryl Zondi.”
@Khanya.Nolz | Natural Hair | cringed:
“Oh, I’m so embarrassed.”
@..: Yhoooo could not accept the news:
“Remembering Cheryl Zondi and the court case and how emotional it was. The documentary on Showmax. The witnesses, the victims. There's no way they lied.”
@Anele shared:
“No province stresses me like Eastern Cape.”
3 More stories related to the justice system by Briefly News
- South Africans were proud of how the youth handled an excited police officer who addressed the protesters urging the justice system to attend to Cwecwe's case.
- Mzansi stood up and planned a national mass march for Cwecwe's justice and urged people to get involved.
- Youngsters from the Eastern Cape held a peaceful march in their village to urge the justice system to take action.
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Source: Briefly News
