Priest sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a minor in Ekiti

Justice OIO Ogunyemi of the Ekiti State High Court in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday sentenced the Pastor of Winners Chapel Church in Omuo-Ekiti, Mr Enoch Gbinyiam, to life imprisonment for raping a minor in his church.

Gbinyiam was charged with rape by the state government.

The state Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Julius Ajiba, told the court that the accused raped the daughter of a church member during her visit to the rectory.

Ajiba described the victim as a regular visitor to the mission house.

According to him, the victim visited the rectory to help the pastor’s wife with housework, teach his young children and help them with their schoolwork.

He said: ‘During one of her visits to the mission house, the defendant laced her with a bottle of Fanta with tranquilisers and offered her something to drink.

“The minor took the Fanta and fell asleep, only to wake up and find that she was bleeding heavily from her vagina.

“The accused was subsequently arrested and brought to court.

He said the offence violated Section 2 of the Prohibition of Gender-Based Violence Act 2019.

The prosecutor called four witnesses and presented two pieces of evidence to prove his case.

The accused, who spoke through his lawyer, Mr Adeyinka Opaleke, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

He called a witness and presented evidence in his defense.

In his verdict, the judge stated that the prosecutor had proven his case beyond a reasonable doubt.

He therefore sentenced the defendant to life imprisonment in a reformatory.

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