Feyi Daniels, founder of IReign Christian Ministry has been jailed by an Ikeja sexual offences and domestic violence court for raping a church member.
Rahman Oshodi, the trial judge, on Friday found the cleric guilty of rape and sexual assault of two female worshippers.
Daniels was arraigned by the Lagos state government on charges of rape, attempted rape, and sexual assault of his church members.
The cleric faced trial on an amended four-count charge bordering on rape, sexual assault, and attempted rape.
The pastor was accused of sexually assaulting three of his church members at his Lekki residence and on his church premises in Ikeja.
In May 2023, Daniels was remanded in court for allegedly raping a 25-year-old woman at his Lekki residence. The church member testified that the cleric had sex with her during a prayer session while speaking in tongues.
In his ruling, Justice Oshodi held that the prosecution team proved the first count of rape against the pastor.
The judge agreed with the testimony and evidence of the first survivor, a former assistant pastor of the church, who said Daniels raped her in his Lekki residence in 2020. She told the court that she developed a vaginal infection after the rape incident, and the cleric advised her to take medications.
Screenshots of WhatsApp chats, where the survivor informed the cleric of injuries in her vagina and he responded by asking her to take medications, were cited in the judgment.
On the second count of rape, the judge dismissed the charge, ruling that the prosecution failed to prove the offence.
The survivor, who traveled from Osogbo to Lagos for a church programme, told the court that Daniels raped her in his residence during a “deliverance” session.
On the third count of attempted rape, the judge ruled that the prosecution failed to prove any attempt at penetration. The survivor, who lived in the church premises in 2021, told the court that the cleric pressed and sucked her breasts.
On the fourth count of sexual assault, the judge found Daniels guilty of pressing and sucking the breasts of the survivor in his Ikeja church.
Justice Oshodi described the cleric’s testimony as inconsistent and untruthful.
“Your offences are grievous. You sexually assaulted two women, who were members of your church. You raped her ferociously,” the judge said.
“You committed these crimes using your dominant character as a pastor.”
Daniels was sentenced to life imprisonment on the first count of rape, and three years’ imprisonment on the count of sexual assault.
The court, however, discharged him of the second count of rape and the attempted rape charge.
The judge further ordered that Daniels’ name be entered into the Lagos state sex offenders register.
