A teenage victim has revealed how was reportedly raped and deflowered by a youth pastor in the Deeper Life Bible Church in Lagos state, identified as Pope Paul.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, on Monday, the 19-year-old survivor made an appearance before the Ikeja, Lagos, court for sexual offenses and domestic abuse.
The victim claimed that when she was 15 years old and lived with the cleric, the abuse began.
The survivor described her experience to the court, saying that she first met the cleric when she moved in with his wife, Sister Lydia.
According to her, she paid a visit to the pastor’s wife on a vacation in 2016, and when she returned to Ibadan, Sister Lydia requested her to live with her after obtaining permission from her mother.
“I was enrolled in a private school as I resumed in SS1. I only go back to my parents during the holiday.”
The victim claimed the cleric touched her breasts secretly to begin the alleged sexual abuse.
“On February 17, 2018, I noticed this lustful look on Pope Paul and he came to me; he started with a rough play and then bumped on me,” she said.
“He started touching me because there was nobody around.
“He moved on to touch my breasts and used his hand to cover my mouth while he inserted his fingers into my private part. As he fingered my private part, blood was flowing out.”
The victim testified in court that during the alleged rape incident, the clergyman played a “Christian message” and turned up the volume so that no one could hear the victim’s voice.
According to her, the cleric threatened to kill her if she told anyone.
Also, the victim described how the priest visited her room one night, dragged her to the kitchen, and engaged in sexual activity with her there.
She said before the court that her mother watched her when she arrived home and administered a pregnancy test, which was positive.
“My mum called pastor and he said that he was sorry and had asked God for forgiveness and knew that God had forgiven him,” she said.
“My mum told him to inform his wife about the pregnancy but he refused and later denied that he impregnated me which prompted my mother to report the case to the police and he was arrested.”
The trial judge, Ramon Oshodi adjourned the case to May 23 for continuation of trial.
