NPA to study judgment and explore options after high court acquitted Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said it will study the judgment and decide which legal options it can explore following the acquittal of Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso.

The 66-year-old was acquitted on Wednesday after spending eight years in jail. He was acquitted alongside his co-acused, Lusanda Sulani, 41, and Zikiswa Sitho, 33. 

The trio faced 32 charges including racketeering, trafficking in persons, rape, and sexual assault.

Reacting to the judgment, NPA spokesperson, Luxolo Tyali, said since the arrest of the trio in April 2017, their trial has been protracted with numerous obstacles including interlocutory applications which caused a lot of delays in the matter.

"The delays caused some witnesses to no longer want to proceed with giving evidence as they indicated they have since moved on with their lives and are not interested in reliving their experiences in court," said Tyali.

Tyali said despite not securing a conviction, the NPA remained committed in ensuring justice was served to all victims of crime.

"[The NPA] will go at all lengths to give a voice to the victims by exploring all the possible avenues."

Earlier, Judge Irma Schoeman said that the evidence of the defence was not properly tested through a proper cross examination by the prosecution.

"I am of the view that although there are aspects of the complainants that are unsatisfactory, I cannot find that their evidence is incredible. However, I cannot find that the evidence of the accused falls to be rejected as false either."

Schoeman added that the evidence of the defence was not properly tested through a proper cross examination by the prosecution.

"This matter falls in the category where in my view the explanations of the accused are improbable, and I do not subjectively believe them. However, due to the uncertainty of the actions of the State and the lack of proper cross examination, I cannot find that the accused's version are so improbable they cannot reasonably possibly be true," she said.

"The accused bore no onus to convince the court of their innocence. I am of the view, in light of all the circumstances of the case, that the State has not proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. 

"The accused are found not guilty and they are discharged on all the charges," the judge ruled.

Omotoso, Sulani and Sitho then knelt on the bench in court, praying.

A crowd of supporters hugged Omotoso shortly after he was acquitted in court, shouting "papa".

sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za

IOL 

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