NPA aims to extradite Timothy Omotoso after SCA grants leave to appeal acquittal

• The Supreme Court of Appeal granted the NPA leave to challenge Timothy Omotoso's acquittal on 26 June 2026
• NDPP Advocate Andy Mothibi said five SCA justices will now rule on critical criminal law principles affecting GBV victims
• The NPA confirmed plans to extradite Omotoso from Nigeria using bilateral treaties and the Commonwealth Scheme

PRETORIA—The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has welcomed a Supreme Court of Appeal order granting the Director of Public Prosecutions, Eastern Division, leave to appeal the acquittal of televangelist Timothy Omotoso and his co-accused. The SCA delivered the order on 26 June 2026, following the Gqeberha High Court's earlier refusal to entertain the state's application.

According to a statement on its Facebook account, the NPA said its legal team, led by Advocate Apla Bodlani SC and Advocate Bayethe Maswazi, brought the application under Section 319 of the Criminal Procedure Act, a provision that enables the state to refer questions of law to the SCA for adjudication. The Gqeberha High Court, presided over by Judge Irma Schoeman, had dismissed the prosecution's initial requests before the state took its petition directly to the appellate court.

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NDPP hails ruling as step toward justice

National Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Andy Mothibi said the development opens the door for five SCA justices to rule on pivotal criminal law principles. He described the outcome as meaningful progress in the pursuit of justice for survivors of gender-based violence.

NPA pursues extradition from Nigeria

Omotoso was deported from South Africa by the Department of Home Affairs after his acquittal and is currently in Nigeria. The NPA confirmed that a favourable ruling by the SCA would strengthen its legal basis to seek his extradition. The Department of Home Affairs has agreed to waive Omotoso's five-year re-entry ban specifically to facilitate the extradition process. The NPA intends to pursue his return through bilateral treaties and the Commonwealth Scheme for Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters.

View the statement on Facebook here:

NPA appeals Joe Sibanyoni case ruling

In a related article, Briefly News reported on the ongoing legal battle involving Joe Sibanyoni and the National Prosecuting Authority's application for leave to appeal the magistrate's orders against prosecutor Advocate Mkhuseli Ntaba. This case has ignited significant public interest, as many are questioning the NPA's decisions and the handling of the prosecutor's contempt ruling.

Source: Briefly News