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Timothy Omotoso: South Africa to pursue appeal against Nigerian pastor acquitted of rape
@Source: bbc.com
Mr Omotoso was first arrested in 2017 as he attempted to leave South Africa.
Among his accusers was a woman who said she was raped by the pastor when she was aged 14.
In a statement, South African prosecutors accepted "there are no legal grounds to prevent" Mr Omotoso from leaving the country following his acquittal.
However, if the appeal were allowed, the authorities would apply for Mr Omotoso to be extradited back to South Africa, the statement added, highlighting South Africa's "bilateral extradition treaty with Nigeria".
After his acquittal in April, Mr Omotoso also faced immigration issues, with the Department of Home Affairs alleging earlier this month that he was in South Africa illegally.
The department has said that Mr Omotoso faces a five-year ban from the country.
South Africa's public broadcaster reports that the pastor left the country voluntarily.
Mr Omotoso leads the Jesus Dominion International church which has branches in the UK, Nigeria, France and Israel as well as in many parts of South Africa, according to its website.
Mr Omotoso's trial made South African history as the first high-profile rape case to be broadcast live.
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