Priest receives life sentence for raping minor in Ekiti

An Ekiti State High Court in Ado Ekiti on Thursday sentenced the clergyman of a church in Omuo Ekiti in Ekiti East Local Government Area of ​​Ekiti State, Pastor Enoch, to life imprisonment for raping a minor.

The victim is said to be the daughter of a church member who was raped by the pastor during one of her visits to the clergyman’s apartment.

The young girl is said to have visited the mission house frequently to help the pastor’s wife with the housework and to support the small children with their school work.

Ekiti State Attorney Julius Ajibade, who prosecuted the case, said: “During one of the minors’ visits to the mission house, the accused (pastor) sedated her with a bottle of Fanta.

“The girl fell asleep after taking the drink, but woke up and found that she was bleeding heavily from her intimate area.

“The accused was arrested and produced before the court. He was charged with rape, a violation of Section 2 of the Gender-Based Violence (Prohibition) Act, 2019.”

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

The accused spoke through his lawyer Adeyinka Opaleke, who testified in his defence as he called only one other witness.

In his judgment, Judge Olusegun Ogunyemi stated that “the prosecution has established beyond reasonable doubt the offence of rape against the accused.”

The judge then sentenced the defendant to life imprisonment.