Lagos orders bishop’s prosecution for rape of pastor
The Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions, Ministry of Justice, has ordered the arraignment of a Lekki-based pastor, Bishop Oluwafeyiropo Daniel, over the alleged rape of an assistant pastor of the church and another lady.
Daniel is the founder of I Reign Christian Ministry, Ikota, Lekki, and has been trending on social media for making prophecies about the outcome of the elections.
Saturday PUNCH gathered that the case against him was being investigated at the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Ikoyi, Lagos, where at least two of the victims had made statements.
The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team had also been involved in the matter.
The case file was forwarded to the DPP last year when investigation was said to have been concluded.
However, for several months, the legal advice was not released as the victims alleged compromise on the part of the FCID, Ikoyi, and the state government.
Our correspondent, who confirmed that the legal advice was issued in December 2022 and the cleric had yet to be prosecuted, decided to apply for the certified true copy of the advice.
On Thursday, March 2, Saturday PUNCH applied for the certified true copy through the Ministry of Justice.
After the payment of the requisite fee, the advice was released exclusively to our correspondent on Monday, March 13.
The advice, which was signed by the DPP Director, Dr Babajide Martins, was dated December 16, 2022.
The report stated in part, “After careful consideration of the facts available in the duplicate case file, this office is of the view that there exists prima facie offence of rape under Section 260 of the Criminal Law, Ch C17, Vol.3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015 against the suspect, Oluwafeyiropo Daniel.
“Facts from the duplicate case file reveal that the suspect, Oluwafeyiropo Daniel, is a pastor and the founder of I Reign Christian Ministry; that he had a church branch in Akungba Akoko (Ondo) where he had young people as pastors and assistant pastors. It is also revealed that Oluwafeyiropo Daniel invites the branch pastors and assistants to his house from time for one reason or the other.”
The report said Daniel took advantage of one of the assistant pastors whenever she visited his residence in the Ikota area of Lagos.
“It is revealed that Oluwafeyiropo Daniel having presented himself as his victims’ spiritual father whom they must be loyal to and must never hide anything from, including their bodies, lures the complainant and his other victim into having sexual intercourse with him,” the advice added. Punch
