The Ogun State Police Operatives have begun a manhunt for a pastor identified as Onyekachi Okoli, who reportedly raped a 16-year-old girl during a deliverance prayer in the Mowe community, Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area, Ogun State.
The state police command confirmed the incident on Friday through the spokesperson Omolola Odutola .
The church's pastor, Emmanuel James, invited the victim to a revival programme at the Adoration Fire Ministry in the town on September 14, 2024.
Okoli, a pastor from Delta State and a guest preacher at the revival program, allegedly approached the survivor after midnight on September 16, 2024, claiming she required deliverance that could only be conducted at his hotel, where he was staying.
After luring the survivor to his hotel room, it was gathered that the suspect allegedly forced her (the survivor) onto the bed during the deliverance prayer session and raped her.
Information from sources revealed that the survivor supposedly experienced severe pain during the alleged assault by the pastor, resulting in significant blood loss due to uncontrollable bleeding.
Odutola said, “The survivor reported the crime at the Mowe Division on September 19, 2024, stating that she had been invited to the church for a revival, where the guest minister informed her that she needed deliverance.
“The suspect invited her to the hotel where he was staying. During the deliverance session, he allegedly engaged in sexual intercourse with the victim, causing her to bleed.
“Our officers were sent to the church, where the pastor was brought in for questioning. He confirmed that the church had invited the suspect as a guest minister for the revival, but he was unaware that the suspect had committed any crime before returning to Delta State.”
According to Odutola the pastor of the church had promised to present the suspect for interrogation, adding that the police investigation into the matter was still ongoing.
In a similar development, a pastor identified as Monday Ogunyomi from the God Foundation Spiritual Church of Christ, Ibùdó Aseyori of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Osioyemi Eleweran, Abeokuta was arrested for allegedly raping a 25-year-old woman during a cleansing prayer on the church premises.
The incident was said to have occurred on April 23, 2024, when the pastor reportedly went naked and allegedly instructed the survivor to remove her clothes before starting a prayer session aimed at helping her overcome her nightmares.
