PORT ELIZABETH - A pastor leading the Jesus Dominion International (JDI) church in Port Elizabeth vowed that the branch in North End would not be shut down on Sunday.
Osugawu Chuks said congregants had freedom of worship and closing the church down would be unconstitutional.
“Your country must stop being xenophobic and stop sending a wrong message to the world. You cannot close a church because of allegations," he said.
A civil society group calling itself ‘Nelson Mandela Bay Citizens In Unity’ called for the total shutdown of rape-accused pastor Timothy Omotoso’s church in Port Elizabeth.
On Sunday, the group will protest outside the church to demand that it be shut down permanently on the basis of allegations levelled against Omotoso.
Omotoso is accused of raping and sexually abusing young girls and women.
According to the group, they believe that people cannot be “manipulated and deceived in the name of God”.
Citizens In Unity said that they believed Cheryl Zondi and they stood firmly united against “rapists”.
Chuks said that Omotoso had been his “father in the Lord” since 2005. He slammed Zondi for “pretending” while testifying at the trial.
“You see in church pictures she is smiling and rejoicing but she says she was pretending. How sure are you she is not pretending in court?” asked Chuks.
