A 23-year-old assistant pastor on Tuesday, 9 May, 2023 told an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court presided over by Justice Ramon Oshodi how a bishop, Daniel Oluwafeyiropo, allegedly raped her twice.
The assistant pastor (names withheld) testified for the prosecution at the bishop’s trial.
She was led in evidence by Lagos State counsel, Mr Babajide Boye.
She told the court that she was an assistant pastor of 1 Reign Christian Ministry founded by the Bishop and said that she met the bishop on May 28, 2018, when her friend invited her for a church programme at which the Bishop ministered, at Akungba, Akoko in Ondo State.
She said that the programme was tagged “Strictly Supernatural”.
According to her, she subsequently became a member of the church and rose to the position of an assistant pastor.
She said that Pastor Boluwatishe Oladejo took over from Pastor Toyosi Bamise as the Lead Pastor then.
The witness told the court that the Bishop, who she regarded as her spiritual father, raped her at his residence on Ikota Villa Estate, Lekki, Lagos State, on June 21, 2020.
“I was listening to Pastor Chris’s message when bishop came to the three-seater chair I was sitting on and told me to go naked.
“For the fear of what happened a day before, I went naked, and bishop locked the door, increased the volume of the television and went naked also.He pinned me to the chair and raped me. He was bigger than me,” the witness said.
The witness said that she appealed to the bishop to leave her but he did not.
“He threatened that I would run mad if I should tell anyone; so, I was in the guest room till the following day.
“On June 22, I sent a message to Pastor Boluwatishe and informed him that I had been raped,” the alleged victim testified.
She also told the court that the bishop did not allow her to go out of the house after the first alleged rape.
“He sent the gateman anytime I needed anything. It was at this time that it was dawn on me that this man is a rapist.For my safety, I was acting stupid and acted as if I did not tell anyone.
“I was in the room when he came again and said he wanted to have sex but I refused.
“He was very angry; so, I told him I had tears from the previous sexual violation,” she testified.
The witness said that, on June 23, 2020, the bishop also told her that he wanted to have sex with her.
“He said I should count it as a privilege that he had sex with me because many people would love to have sex with him.
“I told him I had someone I was dating.
“That same morning of June 23, he took off my dress and raped me again in the sitting room.
“He told me I would die if I should tell anyone. I bled a second time because of the forceful entry,” she said.
She earlier told the court that the bishop called her on phone on June 5, 2020, saying that it was her turn to come with some other pastors to his house at Lekki, Lagos State.
She added that, on June 19, when she got to the house, the bishop came out from his room and told her that she had a query to answer.
She testified that the bishop told her that she would transcribe his message entitled “Fulfilling My Ministry”.
“He took me to First City Hospital, Lekki, where Dr Tina Clement, a member of the church attended to me, ran some tests, gave me drugs and sent the results to him.
“When the doctor asked what happened to me, bishop told me to tell her I was raped by my friend, and he was with me throughout the tests,” she said.
A computer printout of chats between her and the defendant was admitted in evidence.
It was also gathered that Oluwafeyiropo is also alleged to have had sexual intercourse with one other person and sexually assaulted another, aged 19 years, by forcefully sucking her breasts.
According to Lagos State Government, which is prosecuting the case, the alleged offences contravene Sections 260(2) and 263 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Justice Oshodi adjourned the case until May 24 for cross-examination of the witness and continuation of trial.
