Court remands pastor over alleged rape in Ondo

An Ondo State Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Akure has remanded a pastor of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Oluwasegun Victor, in the correction centre for allegedly impregnating a minor.

While arraigning the 31-year-old pastor on a one-count charge of unlawful sexual intercourse, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, informed the court that the suspect purportedly impregnated five other minors before the long arm of law caught up with him.

Victor was said to have had unlawful sexual intercourse with the minor on July 24, 2024, in the Oba-Ile, Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State.

According to the charge of the NSCDC prosecutor, David Ebriku, the offence contravened Section 31(1) of the Child Rights Laws of Ondo State 2007 and is punishable under Section 31(2) of the same laws.

“That you, Olusegun Victor, male, 31 years old, at about 1 pm on the 24th day of July 2024 at No. 73 Owode, off Airport Road, Oba-Ile, Akure, within Akure Magisterial District, did commit a felony, to wit, unlawful sexual intercourse on a minor, Miss Precious Olisemeke, 15 years.

“You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 31(1) of the Child Rights’ Laws of Ondo State 2007 and punishable under Section 31(2) of the same laws,” Ebriku said.

The prosecutor urged the court to remand the suspect in the correctional centre.

The counsel to the suspected rapist, Mr. Alex Odunayo Olademehin, asked the court for time to respond to the remand application.

The Presiding Magistrate, Taiwo Lebi, subsequently remanded the suspect in the correctional centre and adjourned the hearing to September 19, 2024.