An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti, on Thursday, jailed the pastor of a church in Omuo Ekiti in the Ekiti East Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Pastor Enoch, for life for raping a minor.
The minor, said to be the daughter of one of the church members, was raped by the pastor during one of her visits to the house of the cleric.
The young girl was said to have been going regularly to the church’s mission house to help the pastor’s wife with house chores and also to assist their young children in their school homeworks.
Ekiti State Director of Public Prosecution, Julius Ajibade, who prosecuted the case, explained, “It was during one of the minor’s visits to the mission house that the defendant (pastor) sedated her with a bottle of Fanta.
“The girl slept off after taking the drink only to wake up and find out that she was bleeding profusely from her private part.
“The defendant was arrested and charged to court. He was charged with the offence of rape contrary to Section 2 of the Gender–Based Violence (Prohibition) Law, 2019.”
Four witnesses were called by the DPP, who also tendered two exhibits to prove his case.
The defendant spoke through his counsel, Adeyinka Opaleke, who gave evidence in his defence, calling only one other witness.
Delivering judgment, Justice Olusegun Ogunyemi held that “the prosecution proved the offence of rape against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt.”
Justice Ogunyemi consequently convicted the defendant and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
