A 38-year-old pastor, Israel Adebayo has been arrested by men of the Ogun State Police Command for defiling a 14-year-old member of his Church (name withheld).
The Pastor who is the General Overseer of “The Beloved Chapel ” situated at No 9, Iyaniwura street, off Owonikoko street Agbado area of Ogun State was arrested following a complaint lodged at Agbado divisional headquarters by the mother of the victim, who reported that while she travelled to treat herself of certain ailment, her daughter who happened to be a choir member in their church, went to Church. The Pastor lured her into his room and forcefully had carnal knowledge of her.
Upon the report, the DPO Agbado division detailed his detectives to visit the scene where the pastor was promptly arrested.
On interrogation, the pastor who admitted defiling the victim, pleaded for forgiveness. According to him, his family and that of the victim are close, however, he doesn’t know why he committed the crime.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect would have been arrested long ago, but the mother of the victim frustrated the move because she did not want to offend her pastor. However, because the victim continued to bleed from her private part since the incident which happened in October 2021, she was left with no other option than to allow police come into the matter.
The victim who claimed that the pastor was the first person to sleep with her is currently recuperating in a hospital.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the state police command, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the Commissioner of Police, CP Lanre Bankole had ordered the transfer of the case to state Criminal Investigation Departments for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The Commissioner also warned parents to stop the habit of covering anybody who indecently assault their daughters no matter how close they are to such persons as they too may be liable for prosecution for compounding felony.
