He threatened me that he would curse me and I would die if I told anybody.
Prophet Adeleye Akingbaso, which is 47 years old, was found guilty of raping a girl who was 13 years old and sentenced to life in prison by the Ado Ekiti Division of the Ekiti State High Court on Monday.
A two-count accusation that bordered on rape and compulsion was brought against the convicted individual during his arraignment in September of 2022.
In the ruling handed down by the court, Justice Blessing Ajileye found the pastor guilty of both of the charges.
It reads, “The Prophet, sometime in July 2022, at Ado-Ekiti, did rape a 13-year-old girl. Also, in July 2021, Prophet Adeleye coerced the victim to engage in a sexual act to the detriment of her physical and psychological well-being.
“The offences are contrary to Section 31(2) of the Child’s Rights Law, Cap. C7, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012 and Section 4 of the Ekiti State Gender-Based Violence (Prohibition) Law, No.18 of 2019.
While the victim testified in front of the court, she stated that the cleric had done the crime on a night while her mother was on night duty.
She also stated that the cleric was a friend of her mother and that she was staying over at their house at the time.
“He woke me up at midnight and said I bedwetted, which was strange to me. He brought out a bottle of shea butter and rubbed it on my vagina, that was all I knew.
“I later discovered I had been raped that night. He threatened me that he would curse me and I would die if I told anybody.
“He came to our house again on the following day when my mother was not around. I was in the kitchen, and he told me he wanted to complete what he started the previous night.
“He attempted to rough-handle me, but I escaped and shouted for help, following which our neighbours came to my rescue.
“They called and informed my mother of the incident. She came home and later reported the case to the police.
The prosecution, Taiwo Ariyo, summoned four witnesses and presented the statement of the victim and the medical report as exhibits in order to prove his case.
On the other hand, the defendant, who spoke in his own defense through his attorney, Adelanke Akinrata, did not call any witnesses. In the ruling handed down by the court, Justice Blessing Ajileye found the pastor guilty of both of the charges involved.
Justice Ajileye declared, “In conclusion, this court has found the defendant guilty on the two-count charge of rape and coercion and convicted him accordingly.
“This will serve as a deterrent to others in the class of the defendant who has not been caught up by the nemesis of law.
“On count one – rape, the defendant is sentenced to life imprisonment and on count two – coercion, the defendant is sentenced to three years imprisonment.”