What Happened In ‘Daddy's House'

Nigerian pastor Tim Omotoso is accused of sexually assaulting young women. Two of his alleged victims recall their ordeals.

- Kaizer Ngwenya And Zama Chutshela

HE PROMISED to change the young women’s lives, assuring them of fame and the opportunity to start their own businesses. Instead, dozens of girls and young women allege they were forced to become sex slaves and take part in orgies to satisfy the insatiable appetite of Nigerian pastor Tim Omotoso (58).

The Durban­based pastor and televangelist of the Jesus Dominion International church is facing 22 charges in the Port Elizabeth magistrate’s court relating to rape, sexual assault and human trafficking involving girls as young as 13.

The church – described on Omotoso’s website as The Church Arm of Tim Omotoso – is located throughout South Africa as well as in Nigeria and the UK.

Omotoso’s advocate, Alfonso Hattingh, said at the pastor’s bail application that there had been no wrongdoing and the pastor would prove as much during his trial.

Yet some of his alleged victims have come forward to tell a different story.

We spoke to young women who lived in the pastor’s mansion in Umhlanga near Durban – a sprawling dwelling known as “Daddy’s House” where Omotoso would allegedly throw inappropriate parties.

Portia Mogale* chokes up as she relates how he promised he would make her dream of becoming a gospel singer come true.

Portia is now a 21­year­old marketing student but was 14 and a member of a Christian youth group when she first heard of Omotoso. She was told her dream could come true if she joined Simply Chrysolite, the pastor’s multi-award­winning all­girl gospel group.