Details start to emerge of case against controversial pastor

03 May 2017 - 22:10 By Devon Koen
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Timothy Omotoso (red shirt) among his congregants.
Timothy Omotoso (red shirt) among his congregants.
Image: SUPPLIED

As hundreds of devotees sang and prayed outside the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday afternoon‚ the manner in which a controversial pastor allegedly lured teenaged girls into sexual relations was laid out in court.

Descriptions of how he would allegedly have the girls rub vaseline on their thighs while telling them to recite Psalm 51 – a psalm that deals with sin and being cleansed – were read out in court.

Reading from a statement by investigating officer detective warrant officer Peter Plaatjies of the Hawks‚ state prosecutor advocate Nceba Ntelwa told the court that the pastor would then tell the girls that If they spoke about the encounters they would be cursed and would die.

The pastor was arrested at the Port Elizabeth Airport on April 20.

  • Controversial 'sex pest' pastor to appear in courtTensions were high at the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court ahead of the appearance of a controversial pastor for his formal bail application on Wednesday. 

National Hawks spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed that the pastor was facing 22 charges related to contravening the sexual offences act stemming from sexual assault to human trafficking with possible additional charges to be added at a later stage.

It was the defence’s submission that the pastor denied any wrongdoing and intended to stand trial to prove his innocence.

Ntelwa said the state would oppose bail because he was a flight risk‚ had no permanent residential address and would intimidate and interfere with state witnesses.

“He has the propensity to commit the same crimes‚” Ntelwa said.

Members of the media and general public inside the court were instructed by members of the police's Tactical Response Team to switch off all cellphones and recording devices during court proceedings or “face the consequences”.

One member of the TRT told the gallery that he would personally remove anyone whose cellphone lights up during proceedings.

The pastor is due back in court on Thursday.

TMG Digital/HeraldLIVE

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