Court logo| File photo
‘The defendant was alleged to have had sexual intercourse with the ladies against their wishes’
For Pastor Daniel Oluwafeyiropo of the I Reign Christian Ministry, this is not the best of times.
The Lagos-based pastor is sweating to free himself of allegation of raping his assistant and one other lady.
Pastor Oluwafeyiropo, who claimed innocent of the rape charge, closed his defence in Lagos on Friday.
Oluwafeyiropo is facing trial on a two-count charge bordering on raping two ladies, at an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court.
The defendant was alleged to have had sexual intercourse with the ladies against their wishes, at his Lekki residence, Lagos, State.
Also read: Court dismisses Osinachi’s husband’s no-case submission
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bishop opened defence on Tuesday and denied the charges.
The defendant told the court that the alleged victims conspired against him to accuse him of the offences.
During cross-examination by state counsel, Mr Babajide Boye, on Friday, the defendant reiterated that he believed that the alleged victims conspired against him.
He also denied giving N100,000 to one of the women for medical treatment.
On whether his position as a pastor and someone who people approached for counselling made him to manipulate them, the pastor said no.
His words: “I am not a manipulator. Three ladies turned against me but one of them later apologised to me.
“I am not a powerful man but I am a pastor, and I do not use power to counsel people.
“You get trained to counsel and you use wisdom and the leading of the spirit.”
The defendant also denied tampering with WhatsApp messages between him and one of the alleged victims.
Defence counsel, Mr Olukunle Oyewole, thereafter informed the court that the defendant would be closing his case.
Justice Rahman Oshodi admitted some extrajudicial statements from the defence counsel in evidence and marked them Exhibits E1 to E7.
Oshodi adjourned the case until December 20, 2023 for adoption of final written address by defence and prosecution counsel.
