NAPTIP arrests Abuja Pastor over alleged rape, sexual abuse of teenage orphan

THE Operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), have arrested a 48-year-old Pastor in Abuja for alleged rape and sexual exploitation of a 16-year old orphan (Name withheld ) and impregnating her in the process.

Head, Press and Public Relations Unit, Stella Nezan, who confirmed this a statement on Sunday in Abuja, said the suspect is a Pastor with the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Church (MFM), Gwaripa Branch, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

According to her, the suspect, David Onyekachuku, from Nsukka, South East part of the country, 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 to have sexually abused her.

It was gathered that victim, who was a Junior Secondary School (JSS2) Student of one of the government schools in Abuja, suddenly dropped out of school and was in dire need of accommodation shortly after the death of her parent 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 parent in Karmo community in the suburb of Abuja, 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 Clergyman started making love advances toward her, an action she constantly resisted.

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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.

According to her, 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 thereby resulting in pregnancy.

Nezan, in the statement, noted that in the during interrogation, the Pastor confessed to have had sex with 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.

“After the deliverance, she has no place to stay, I then took her to live with me and my daughter,” the randy Clergyman confessed.

In her reaction, the Director General of NAPTIP, Dame Julie Okah – Donli, described the action of the man 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 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 sensitisation of male folks across the country in order to arrest the situation. This prevailing evil acts must stop,” the NAPTIP boss said.

She disclosed that the case shall be diligently prosecuted in order to secure justice for the victim.