38-year-old pastor arrested for defiling chorister

A 38-year-old pastor, Israel Adebayo, has been arrested by a Nigerian 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’, was arrested following a complaint lodged by the mother of the victim.

She 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 and 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 the scene where the pastor was promptly arrested. 

On interrogation, the pastor admitted to defiling the victim and pleaded for forgiveness. According to him, his family and that of the victim are so close, but he didn’t know how and why such thing happened to him. 

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. But when the victim was continuously bleeding 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 is the first person to sleep with her, is currently recuperating in a hospital. 

Confirming the incident, the  Commissioner of Police said he has 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 assaults their daughters no matter how close they are to such persons as they too may be liable for prosecution for compounding felony.