A court in Ikeja has sentenced Feyi Daniels, the founder of I Reign Christian Ministry, to life in prison for raping a church member.
On Friday, the trial judge, Rahman Oshodi, found the cleric guilty of rape and sexual assault against a female worshipper.
Daniels was charged by the Lagos state government with rape, attempted rape, and sexual assault against church members.
The cleric faced trial on an amended four-count charge of rape, sexual assault, and attempted rape.
The pastor was accused of sexually assaulting three church members at his home in Lekki and on the church grounds in Ikeja.
Court Proceedings and Ruling
In May 2023, the cleric was remanded in court after allegedly raping a 25-year-old woman at his Lekki home.
The church member informed the court that the cleric had sex with her during a prayer session while speaking in tongues.
In his decision, Oshodi determined that the prosecution team was successful in proving the pastor’s first-count rape charge.
The judge agreed with the testimony and evidence presented by the first survivor. The first survivor is a former church assistant pastor, who claimed Daniels raped her in his Lekki home in 2020.
The first survivor (name withheld) told the court that she had a vaginal infection after the rape. She added that the cleric advised her to take some medications.
The trial judge cited screenshots of WhatsApp chats in his verdict. On it, the first survivor informed the cleric that she had vaginal injuries and the cleric asked her to take medications.
The judge dismissed the second charge of rape because the prosecutor failed to prove the alleged offence.
The second survivor, who travelled to Lagos from Osogbo for a church event, told the court that the cleric raped her at his home during a “deliverance” session.
On the third count of attempted rape,
The judge ruled that the prosecutor failed to prove the elements of attempted rape because there was no attempt to penetrate the victim.
The third survivor told the court that the cleric pressed and sucked her two breasts.
On the fourth count charge of sexual assault,
The judge found the cleric guilty of pressing and sucking the breasts of the third survivor in his Ikeja church.
The trial judge held that the testimony of the cleric was inconsistent. He that he is a liar.
The judge said:
“Your offences are grievous. You sexually assaulted two women, who were members of your church. You raped her ferociously.”
“You committed these crimes using your dominant character as a pastor.”
The judge sentenced Daniels to life in prison for the first count of rape and three years for the third count of sexual assault.
He found the cleric not guilty of the second count of rape and the fourth count of attempted rape.
The judge ordered that the cleric’s name be added to the Lagos State Sex Offenders Register.
