Omotoso, co-accused acquitted on all charges
Rape-accused Nigerian pastor Timothy Omotoso and his two co-accused Lusanda Solani and Zukiswa Sitho have been acquitted on all charges of rape and human trafficking in the Gqeberha High Court.
Omotoso ran a church in Durban.
He had been accused of abusing girls and young women who stayed in a mansion he rented in Umhlanga.
It was alleged that Solani and Sitho recruited them for the pastor.
Omotoso was arrested at the then-Port Elizabeth Airport eight years ago and has been in custody since.
Handing down her judgement on Wednesday, Judge Irma Schoeman said the State's case was weak.
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" I'm of the view that although there are aspects of the complainants’ evidence that are unsatisfactory, I cannot find that their evidence is incredible. When deciding whether the State has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, in my view, the explanations of the accused are improbable, and I don't 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 versions are so improbable that they cannot reasonably possibly be true. The State has not proved its case beyond reasonable doubt."
Omotoso and his co-accused prayed in the dock immediately after the verdict.
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