According to South African law Rev Omotoso is presumed innocent until proven guilty as stipulated in Section 35, sub-section 1 (d) of the Bill of Rights. However, this has clearly not been adhered to rather the media has been used to create and promote a public outcry and media trial. Placards were in the air with different messages; ‘Set our Leader Free’ ‘Asijiki (meaning we are not turning back/or our backs on our leader) and many many more.
The protesters were accompanied by the Metro Police and SAPS (South African Police Services), and about 100 marshals for crowd control.
Upon arrival at the City Hall, 2 representatives of the Department of Justice received the Memorandum which was handed over to them by Pastor Sanele Myeni accompanied by other Jesus Dominion International pastors. The Memorandum of Demand served stated amongst other things that, “….The basis of our discontentment is derived from the fact that the Hawks scheduled a meeting in Port Elizabeth with Rev Tim Omotoso and his legal representatives on 20 April 2017 under pretext of an ‘inquiry’ over allegations made against him. He consequently bought a return flight ticket with a bid to cooperate with the authorities and answer any questions they had. Whilst Pastor Tim was denied the truth, the Hawks offered it to various media houses and the general public so much so that all were gathered and prepared to witness the arrest and mock him as the so called inquiry turned out to be a scheduled arrest, dramatically played out at the Port Elizabeth airport in full view of the media and public….”
A number of demands were made including, …. that there be a thorough investigation of the circumstances leading to Tim Omotoso’s arrest and all those implicated in framing Pastor Omotoso be brought to book and there be an immediate end to xenophobia which is prompting some members of the Hawks and Justice Department to facilitate the miscarriage of justice.
Jesus Dominion International believes two weeks (14 days) is a sufficient and reasonable time for the Dept of Justice and Correctional Services to give a response and that was stated in the memorandum.
After the latest court appearance on 24 July, a second bail hearing date was given for 29 and 30 August 2017.