Pastor Rapes and Impregnates Teenage Girl In His Church

Following his arrest and arraignment, an Ado-Ekiti Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday ordered a Pastor, Ilesanmi Emmanuel of Christ Apostolic Church to be remanded in prison custody for the raping and impregnating of a teenage girl.

Magistrate Adefunke Ajibade described the case as a pathetic one, especially as it involved a minor and a pastor that should be a father and shepherd of flocks in a public church.

Pastor Emmanuel allegedly told the girl that she would die if she tells anyone he had intercourse with her.

The prosecutor, Mr Curtis Enabulele told the court that the accused committed the offence on July 12 at Ikere-Ekiti. He alleged that the accused raped the minor [name withheld], who is a member of his church which resulted to pregnancy.

Counsel to the accused person, Oluwaseyi Adeniyi, urged the court to grant his client bail and assured that he would not jump bail.

But the Counsel to International Federation of Female Lawyers, Ekiti chapter, Mrs Foluke Dada, opposed the application. She said if the Pastor is granted bail he would be a threat to other teenage girls in the church and the society at large.

Mrs Dada told the court that the accused had threatened that the victim would die within seven days if she confessed to anyone that he raped her.

Magistrate Ajibade thus denied bail and remanded Pastor Emmanuel in prison custody. He adjourned the case to April 4 pending the advice of the state Director of Public Prosecution.