A 23-year-old woman testified at the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, alleging that Bishop Daniel Oluwafeyiropo, the founder of I Reign Christian Ministry, had sexually assaulted her twice.
The Bishop, who pleaded not guilty, is currently facing trial on three charges that have been amended, relating to rape and sexual assault.
The witness, who is also an assistant pastor at the Bishop’s church, said she had first met him in 2018, and had subsequently been abused twice at his residence in Ikota Villa Estate on June 21 and 23, 2020.
On the first occasion, he had allegedly raped her after she had gone naked as directed by him. The second time, she claimed, he slapped her after she refused his advances.
She reported the incidents to another pastor, who was also a member of the church, and said that the Bishop had threatened her with madness if she told anyone about the assaults.
Recounting the incident, she said:
“I was listening to Pastor Chris’ message when bishop came to the three-seater sofa, I was sitting on. He told me to go naked for the third time, but due to the fear of what happened a day before, I went naked. The bishop locked the door, increased the volume of the television and he went naked too.
“He squeezed and pinned me to the chair and sexually abused me. He was bigger than me, so I was bleeding from my private part. I pleaded with him, but he did not listen.
“When I told him of the bleeding, he said he knew that I should shut up. He then directed me to go and wash up. He collected my phone and cleaned the blood before I came out of the bedroom. He threatened that if I tell anybody, I will run mad. So, I was in the guest room till the following day.
“On June 22, I sent a message to pastor Boluwatishe and told him through a WhatsApp code, which we usually chat, that I had been violated.”
She continued that Bishop did not allow her go out of the house after the first alleged sexual encounter with him.
“He sent the gateman instead anytime I needed anything. It was at this time that it was dawn on me that this man is a rapist. So, for my safety, I was acting stupid and acted like I did not tell anyone.
“I was in the room when he came to me again and said he wanted to have sex but I refused. He was very angry, so I told him I had bruises on my private part from the previous sexual violation.
“I was coming out from the room to the kitchen, on June 23, when he came out of his room too, wrapping a towel and said he wanted to have sex with me. He said I should count it as a privilege that he violated me because many people would love to have sex with him, but I told him I have someone I am dating that he is not attracted to me.
“In the living room on that same morning of June 23, he took off my dress and raped me again. He told me I would die if I told anyone. I bled the second time because of the forceful entry.” She added.
She further testified that the Bishop had earlier made a phone call to her on June 5, 2020, asking her and some other pastors to come to his house in Lagos.
“On June 19, when I got to the house, the Bishop came out from the room, saying that I have a query to answer. He said the punishment for me was to transcribe his message titled, ‘Fulfilling my Ministry.’
“The following day on June 20, only the Bishop and I were left in the house after others pastors had left. He told me to go on a three-hour prayer work around the estate, but I came back home 30 minutes prior to the elapse of the prayer hours due to a heavy downpour.
“So, he queried why I came back to the house earlier. I told him it was due to the heavy downpour. When I entered the guest room where I used to sleep, I met one Sister Jummy, who was also a church member. She was about taking her leave when I came inside the room.
“I was seated on the couch that same day, listening to pastor Chris message when the Bishop walked up to me from the dining section and made comments on the teaching I was listening to.
“He ordered me to go naked again, which I did for the fear of what had happened prior because the bishop accused me of not being submissive and loyal to him as my spiritual father.
“He said he wanted to know my loyalty and see if I have finally submitted to him. I told him I could do anything for him but sex. He tried kissing me and I stopped him, then he slapped me.
“His eyes turned literal red, he was shouting, and I was already in tears as the slap was a very hot one. He started telling me how he had thought me about honour and said that an angel came to him a night before and urged him to ask me to go naked.”
“He said he liked his wife so much that he could never have sex with me. He was in tears and said that I could not submit to him. So, he ordered me to put on my clothes. I started begging him, but he said that I had disappointed him.”
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