Home Affairs welcomes pastor Timothy Omotoso's return to Nigeria
JOHANNESBURG - The Department of Home Affairs has welcomed the departure of controversial Nigerian televangelist, Timothy Omotoso, touting his five-year ban from South Africa as an indicator of its tougher stance on immigration laws.
Omotoso is now on board a flight to Nigeria, following the department's failure to successfully prosecute him for remaining in the country illegally.
The East London Magistrates Court released the 66-year-old this week, ruling that he could not be held for longer than 48 hours without formal charges after his rearrest last weekend.
The latest comes hot on the heels of another legal victory for the charismatic pastor after the Eastern Cape High Court acquitted him on rape and human trafficking charges in April, citing insufficient evidence by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
After years in and out of courtrooms, Omotoso is finally leaving South Africa, parting ways with thousands of loyal followers, as he boarded his flight back to Nigeria.
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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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