Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Ikeja sexual offences and domestic violence court has sentenced a Nigerian cleric, Bishop Feyi Daniel, founder of I Reign Christian Ministry, to life imprisonment for “raping a church member”.
The trial judge, on Friday, found the cleric guilty of rape and sexual assault of a female worshipper.
Also, the court found Mr. Daniels guilty of the offence of sexual assault of two members of his church and sentenced him to three years in prison.
Justice Rahman Oshodi in his judgement, said the court held the testimony of the complainant as well as other witnesses who gave direct evidence, none of which was contradicted at any point during the trial, despite the denials of the defendant.
He said, prosecution had successfully proven all the ingredients of rape under section 260(2) of the criminal laws of Lagos state, 2015.
While discharging the defendant of the second count of allegedly raping another church member at his home in 2020, the court said the prosecution failed to prove the elements of the use of force, fear of harm by the complainant and misrepresentation by the defendant to establish guilt in the offence of rape beyond all reasonable doubt.
In exercising the mandatory sentencing, the court said the convict poses a significant risk to the society, used his dominant character and position as a cleric to Sexually violate two members of his church and therefore ordered that the convict’s name be Registered in the Lagos state sex offenders register.
“Rape carries a mandatory life imprisonment and sexual assault carries a jail term of three years, which can’t alleviate the harm on your victims, the court said".
The defendant is to Serve his jail term at the Nigeria correctional center, at the kirikiri maximum facility where he is currently being detained.
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