The Police in Osun State have arrested the Pastor of Celestial Church, Ona Iye Parish, Ijeda Ijesa, Osun State, identified as Omiri Kayode for allegedly raping a teenage girl.
The pastor, whose church is located along Ijebu-Jesa road in Oriade Local Government Area of Osun State, reportedly asked the parents of the young girl to bring her for a special prayer of deliverance on January 4, 2024, which was her birthday.
The pastor claimed he needed to do the special prayer alone with the girl, asking the parents to leave her with him in the church.
The suspect who has two wives, however forcefully had sex with the victim under the guise of fortifying her against spiritual attack.
While narrating her ordeal, the teenage girl said she was given a message in school before the holidays to be prayerful in a bid to live long.
She noted that she informed her mother about the message who in turn, consulted Pastor Kayode for help.
The pastor told her mother not to allow her to use the phone or call anyone on January 4, which was her birthday.
She said, “After cooking on the said day, I went to the church to greet him, but he told me I should stay back till night before leaving for home. He later came back to me inside the church where he told me that I must have sex with a male that is not my boyfriend to overcome a spiritual attack.
“He later told me the Holy Spirit directed him to have sex with me to help me and he said I must not tell my mother, else, the whole of my family will be in danger.
“He later sent for my mother to bring my white garment and informed her I would not be returning home, but all effort to alert her was abortive. He then instructed that I should take my bath after which I should wear only the garment without any underwear but I wore my pants which infuriated him when he discovered.
“Later my father came with my mother with a view to taking me but he managed to convince him that I should wait for the 9 pm to 10 pm prayer session against his initial arrangement of 9 pm, 12 pm and 3 am during which he was to have a sexual session with me.
“Immediately my parents left, he dragged me inside his sitting room on a two-seater chair and forcefully had sex with me. He then sent one of his children to fetch prayer water from the altar, before the boy returned; I sneaked out and ran towards home.
“I later realised that he was chasing me and I started shouting, which attracted my parents. I told them what happened and I was taken to the hospital after which the matter was reported to the police.”
Osun Police Command spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola confirmed the arrest of the suspect, saying the matter would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation for further findings.
