State witness tells court how rape accused Omotoso allegedly wielded control over congregants

Disturbing details of how rape and human trafficking accused pastor Timothy Omotoso allegedly wielded control over his victims and church congregants emerged in the Port Elizabeth high court on Tuesday.

During the second day of testimony by state witness Andisiwe Dike, the court heard how she, along with other young women recruited to stay at Omotoso’s Jesus Dominion International (JDI) church’s Durban mission house, would be forced to perform lewd acts for his satisfaction and pleasure, HeraldLIVE reports.

In the 13 months Dike spent at the mission house, starting in May 2016, she was allegedly repeatedly sexually assaulted by the man many called "the man of God". 

On occasion, Dike said, Omotoso would host a "happy hour" where he would throw sweets and other items at girls seated in one of the living rooms at the mission house.

During these sessions, Omotoso would allegedly also take a small packet of sweets, rub it against his groin while fully clothed, and throw it in the air to see who would jump the highest, Dike said.

Dike claimed that in late 2016 Omotoso became more blatant and arrogant in his actions, even going as far as telling his congregants during church services: “If you are saying I am sleeping with children, they have [vaginas] and I have a penis, so what?”

Omotoso and his co-accused, Lusanda Sulani and Zukiswa Sitho, face 63 main and 34 alternative charges, ranging from rape to sexual assault, racketeering and human trafficking.

On Monday they pleaded not guilty to all the charges and denied all the allegations against them.

They have opted not to enter plea explanations.

The trial, which has been affected by many postponements, started from scratch on Monday after the previous judge, Mandela Makaula, recused himself in March 2019,  when it emerged that state witnesses had been accommodated at a guest house belonging to his wife.

The trial continues.