An Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti on Thursday sentenced the cleric of a church at Omuo Ekiti in the Ekiti East Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Pastor Enoch, to life imprisonment for raping a minor.

The victim said to be the daughter of one of the church members, was raped by the pastor during one of her visits to the cleric’s residence.

The young girl was said to be a frequent visitor to the mission house to help the pastor’s wife with house chores and as well support the young children in their school assignments.

The Ekiti State Director of Public Prosecutions, Julius Ajibade, who prosecuted the case, said, “It was during one of the minor’s visits to the mission house that the defendant (pastor) sedated her with a bottle of Fanta. The girl slept off after taking the drink only to wake up and find out that she was bleeding profusely from her private parts.

“The defendant was arrested and charged to court. He was charged with the offence of rape contrary to Section 2 of the Gender–Based Violence (Prohibition) Law, 2019.”

The DPP called four witnesses and tendered two exhibits to prove his case.

The defendant spoke through his counsel, Adeyinka Opaleke, who gave evidence in his defence as he called only one other witness.

In his judgment, Justice Olusegun Ogunyemi held that “the prosecution proved the offence of rape against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt.”

The judge consequently convicted the defendant and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

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