Share

PE woman accused of trafficking girls for pastor Omotoso granted bail

A 31-year-old woman accused of allegedly recruiting girls for the purposes of sexual exploitation for senior pastor of the Jesus Dominion International Church, Timothy Omotoso was granted bail of R2 000 by the Port Elizabeth Magistrate's Court on Thursday.

Nobubele Mlindi handed herself over to the Hawks' human trafficking team in Port Elizabeth on Thursday morning.

She faces charges of trafficking in persons and exploitation for sexual purposes.

"It is alleged that between 2012 and 2016, while working for the Department of Health in Port Elizabeth, Mlindi recruited girls from around the country to reside at Omotoso's house in KwaZulu-Natal," said Hawks spokesperson Anelisa Feni.

"It is further alleged that she, at certain periods, was the house mother for this house. Mlindi now resides in Mmabatho, in the North West."

Omotoso, 59, was arrested in Port Elizabeth in April 2017 and is facing multiple charges related to the contravention of the Sexual Offences Act, including rape.

ALSO READ: 'We were forced to please him' – Idols SA twins on Pastor Tim Omotoso

Some of the alleged victims are as young as 13-years-old.

Mlindi was the third suspect who was arrested by the Hawks' anti-human trafficking team for allegedly recruiting girls from all over the country and monitoring their movements in the houses they were being kept in.

Zukiswa Sitho, 28, and Lusanda Solani, 36, were each granted R2 000 bail by the Port Elizabeth Magistrate's Court in November 2017.

Mlindi and her three co-accused, including Omotoso, will appear in the same court on April 11.

The acting provincial head for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) in the Eastern Cape, Major General Zinhle Mnonopi, congratulated the Hawks team members for their determination in the fight against human trafficking.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Do airplane mishaps have any effect on which airline you book your flights with?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
No, these things happen. I pick based on price
49% - 866 votes
Yes, my safety matters. I don't take any chances
51% - 905 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
19.15
-0.2%
Rand - Pound
23.82
-0.1%
Rand - Euro
20.47
-0.1%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.44
-0.4%
Rand - Yen
0.12
-0.1%
Platinum
921.00
+0.1%
Palladium
1,023.50
-0.2%
Gold
2,315.69
-0.3%
Silver
27.11
-0.7%
Brent Crude
88.42
+1.6%
Top 40
68,454
+0.6%
All Share
74,425
+0.6%
Resource 10
59,636
+0.0%
Industrial 25
104,056
+1.2%
Financial 15
15,914
+0.1%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE