Nigerian Pastor Accused of Sexual Assault Hires Top Pe Lawyer

By Bongani Mthethwa
Herald Live
April 20, 2017

http://www.heraldlive.co.za/news/2017/04/20/nigerian-pastor-accused-sexual-assault-hires-lawyer/

Controversial Nigerian pastor Timothy Omotoso has hired prominent Port Elizabeth defence attorney Alwyn Griebenow to represent him in the face of allegations that he sexually molested young girls at his home in Umhlanga‚ Durban.

Griebenow confirmed that he was Omotoso’s attorney and that he and defence advocate Terry Price will be meeting with the Hawks on Thursday afternoon in Port Elizabeth. The Hawks are investigating the allegations against Omotoso.

Omotoso‚ of the Jesus Dominion International Church in Durban‚ is accused of molesting more than 30 young girls on the pretext of rescuing them from drugs.

The Nigerian evangelist came under scrutiny after his church featured on current affairs programme Special Assignment on Sunday. The programme spoke to women who claimed that they were lured into performing sexual favours for the pastor.

While reports are circulating that Omotoso is planning to hand himself over to the Hawks in Port Elizabeth today, Griebenow said his client is only meeting with police.

“He is not planning to hand himself over. The police have not indicated that there is a warrant of arrest. He will meet with them later but it is only an interview,” Griebenow told The Herald.

Griebenow‚ one of Port Elizabeth’s foremost defence attorneys‚ represented the second suspect accused of involvement in the murder of teacher Jayde Panayiotou‚ who was found shot dead after being kidnapped outside her townhouse in 2015.

Griebenow has represented some high-profile cases‚ such as defending serial killer Stewart “Boetie Boer” Wilkens‚ who was charged with 10 counts of murder and five counts of sodomy in 1997. He also represented a group of alleged mercenaries who were held in Zimbabwe on suspicion of being involved in a planned coup in Equatorial Guinea.