The operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has arrested a 48 years old Pastor with the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Church (MFM), Gwaripa Branch, Abuja, for alleged rape and sexual exploitation of a 16-year old orphan (name withheld) and impregnating her in the process.
A statement from NAPTIP on Sunday revealed that the suspect, David Onyekachuku, from Nsukka, Enugu state, was said to have volunteered to provide shelter and also conduct deliverance on the girl after she was accused of witchcraft, but thereafter took advantage of the vulnerability of the innocent girl and repeatedly abuse her sexually.
The victim, a Junior Secondary School (JSS2) Student of one of the government schools in Abuja, suddenly dropped out of school and was in dare need of accommodation shortly after the death of her parents in 2018.
Investigation revealed that the randy Pastor who lost his wife sometimes ago was then leaving with her daughter in the same compound with the deceased parents in Karmo community, a suburb of Abuja. The pastor volunteered to harbour her and assist her in her education so as to give her a fulfilled life.
According to the victim, after the first year of their living together, the clergy man started making love advances toward her, an action she constantly resisted.
She narrated that the first time the Pastor raped her was in March this year during her birthday. She explained that the man had taken her and his daughter out on birthday celebration to some relaxation centres in Abuja.
But in the evening, after the daughter of the Pastor had gone to bed, he approached her and pounced on her, ignoring all pleas for mercy.
It was gathered that the clergy had since continued to rape her at will until it resulted into pregnancy.
During interrogation, the Pastor confessed to have sexually abused the girl only twice and attributing the evil act to the “work of the devil.”
He stated that he actually took the girl in to conduct deliverance for her and also enrol her in school having missed school for about two years.
The Director General of NAPTIP, Dame Julie Okah-Donli, described the action as the highest form of wickedness against fellow human being considering the fact that the victim is vulnerable and a helpless orphan.
“I am deeply sad and disappointed by the action of this man who ordinarily ought to have provided hope for the girl by virtue of his position as a clergy.
“Rather than doing what is biblically expected of him in line with his calling, he abused his position and preyed on the very victim he supposed to protect.
“Arising from the increased cases of rapes and sexual abuses of female children and even male across the country, I have directed massive sensitization of men forks across the country in order to arrest the situation. This prevailing evil acts must stop”, the NAPTIP boss said.
She disclosed that the case would be diligently prosecuted in order to secure justice for the victim.
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