Parliament, Wednesday, 2 April 2025 – The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development, Mr Xola Nqola, today noted with grave concern the outcome of the court hearing of the case against Nigerian televangelist pastor Timothy Omotoso, in which he was acquitted.
Pastor Omotoso and his co-accused faced charges including rape, sexual assault and human trafficking, but all three of them were acquitted. In her ruling on Wednesday morning, Gqeberha High Court Judge Irma Schoeman found Pastor Omotoso and his co-accused, Lusanda Sulani and Zukiswa Sitho, not guilty, saying the state had failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Mr Nqola said the outcome is very worrying as Judge Schoeman had criticised the state’s cross-examination of the accused, describing it as “poor quality”. This had the effect of not disputing the accused’s evidence at all, Judge Schoeman said, and therefore there was no necessity to call corroborative witnesses, if any, who might have bolstered their defence.
“It seems the quality of the state’s case and its cross-examination failed the complainants and victims. This is an assault on the fight against gender-based violence. This is totally unacceptable,” Mr Nqola said.
“We need the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to explain the weaknesses in the team and the case they presented. Furthermore, the acquittal comes days after community activist and whistle-blower Ms Pamela Mabini was shot dead in her car in the driveway of her home in KwaZakhele, Gqeberha. She was committed to supporting witnesses in this matter. With her gone, it seems we have failed our women, especially since the court referred to the poor quality of cross-examination as a contributing factor to the acquittal,” Mr Nqola said.
Mr Nqola said the committee will call the NPA to brief it on the Omotoso matter.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, MR XOLA NQOLA.
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