Hundreds of supporters gathered outside the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday to support the Nigerian pastor, Tim Omotoso, charged with human trafficking, sexual assault and the rape of young girls.
The televangelist appeared briefly in court to apply for bail on new facts.
The pastor now has new legal representation from the firm Mcloughlin Porter in Vereeniging.
Advocate Alwyn Rossouw SC asked the court for an adjournment until 2 pm.
The reason for the adjournment stems from an urgent application to be heard at the Port Elizabeth High Court by Judge Glenn Goosen.
The pastor’s lawyers are asking that the televangelist be physically transported in order to have his working visa renewed, which expires on Wednesday.
Rossouw indicated that if the pastor’s work visa was not renewed, he would become an illegal immigrant in the country.
“We received a letter on August 14 from the department of home affairs indicating that his visa would expire,” he said.
Rossouw said that this information was not before Magistrate Thandeka Mashiyi and was one of the new facts intended to be used at the bail application on new facts.
The matter was postponed until 2 pm pending Goosen’s ruling.
– African News Agency (ANA)
