S’AFRICA DEPORTS NIGERIAN PASTOR

Controversial Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso has been deported from South Africa after being declared an undesirable person by the Department of Home Affairs.
Omotoso was officially deported on May 18, 2025, and was escorted by South African police and Home Affairs officials as he boarded a flight back to Nigeria.
Omotoso was acquitted in April of 32 charges, including rape, human trafficking, and racketeering, after nearly eight years behind bars. However, his acquittal did not prevent his deportation, as the Department of Home Affairs deemed his presence in the country no longer welcome.
The South African Department of Home Affairs promptly initiated deportation proceedings, citing Omotoso’s undesirable status in the country. This decision effectively ended his stay in South Africa, despite his recent acquittal.
“Mr. Timothy Omotoso has been declared an undesirable person under the Immigration Act. He was removed from the Republic on May 18, 2025,” the department confirmed in a brief statement.
The deportation has reignited debate around South Africa’s immigration and justice systems. Critics argue that Omotoso’s lengthy pretrial detention and eventual acquittal reflect deep flaws in the country’s legal machinery. Others insist his removal was necessary to preserve public trust and prevent further division.
Omotoso’s defense team, meanwhile, has decried the move as politically motivated and unjust, suggesting the televangelist is being punished despite his acquittal.
“This is not just deportation. It’s an attempt to erase a man who was never proven guilty in a court of law,” a source close to Omotoso’s ministry told reporters.
Since his return to Nigeria, Omotoso has remained out of the public eye, with no official statement yet from his church or legal representatives. Whether he will attempt to continue his religious mission from his home country — or mount a legal challenge to his deportation — remains to be seen.
His case, marked by emotional testimony, legal wrangling, and now, forced removal, is likely to be remembered as one of the most polarizing chapters in South Africa’s recent legal history.