The Ogun State Police Command is searching for a pastor, Onyekachi Okoli, who is accused of raping a 16-year-old girl during a deliverance prayer in the Mowe community, Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area.
The spokesperson for the state police command, Omolola Odutola, confirmed the incident on Friday.
According to reports, the survivor was invited by Pastor Emmanuel James to attend a revival program at Adoration Fire Ministry in the community on September 14, 2024.
Okoli, a pastor from Delta State and a guest minister at the revival programme, allegedly approached the survivor on September 16, 2024, around midnight, claiming she needed deliverance that could only be performed at his hotel, where he was staying.
After luring the survivor to his hotel room, it was gathered that the suspect allegedly forced her (the survivor) onto the bed during the deliverance prayer session and raped her.
Our correspondent learnt that the survivor allegedly experienced severe pain during the alleged assault by the pastor, resulting in significant blood loss due to uncontrollable bleeding.
Odutola said, “The survivor reported the crime at the Mowe Division on September 19, 2024, stating that she had been invited to the church for a revival, where the guest minister informed her that she needed deliverance.
“Our officers were sent to the church, where the pastor was brought in for questioning. He confirmed that the church had invited the suspect as a guest minister for the revival, but he was unaware that the suspect had committed any crime before returning to Delta State.”
Odutola mentioned that the church’s pastor had promised to present the suspect for interrogation, adding that the police investigation into the matter was still ongoing.
A similar incident was reported on April 23, 2024, involving Pastor Monday Ogunyomi from the God Foundation Spiritual Church of Christ, and Ibùdó Aseyori of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Osioyemi Eleweran, Abeokuta.
He was arrested for allegedly raping a 25-year-old woman during a cleansing prayer on the church premises.
The pastor reportedly went naked and allegedly instructed the survivor to remove her clothes before starting a prayer session aimed at helping her overcome her nightmares through spiritual deliverance.
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