MICHAEL AKINOLA
Police operatives from the Lagos State Command have arrested a 48-year old self acclaimed cleric, Pastor Imoh Etukudo, for allegedly defiling a 10-year old girl after the victim exposed him to her mother.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the victim made the revelations after her brother observed and alerted their mother about what Pastor Etukudo was doing with the victim in her absence. The mother then asked and the victim revealed that Etukudo had slept with her for four months.
Thus, Pastor Etukudo was arrested and charged for the alleged defilement under the Criminal Laws of the State over his alleged conduct.
The incident happened at Old lyin Street, ljegun area of Lagos, where they reside.
According to the Police, on the 4th of March, 2025, a case of defilement was transferred from Isheri Oshun Police Station to the Gender Unit, reported by the mother of the victim, who resides at Musilmat Kabiru Street, Kudeinbu Estate in Isheri Oshun area of Lagos against the Pastor.
The complainant stated that her son told her that Pastor Imoh Etukudoh always did something to her sister and the complainant called her daughter to confirm what Imoh, who claimed to be a Pastor had been doing to her.
The victim narrated that since November 2024, the said Imoh had been having carnal knowledge of her while the recent one happened on Tuesday 15th February, 2025, at night.
The matter was reported to the Police and the suspect was arrested and transferred to the Gender Section of the State Command for interrogation over the alleged offence.
After rounds of interrogation, the Police found him culpable and charged him before the Ogba Magistrate Court for the alleged offence, which attracts several years of imprisonment.
The charge read:
“That you, Imoh Etukudoh ‘m’, on the 25th day of February, 2025, at about 0100hours, at Old lyin Street, ljegun Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did defile the victim 10 years old by having forceful carnal knowledge of her and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”
However, the Court did not take his plea when he was arraigned following a motion moved by the prosecutor, Inspector Lucky Ihiehie, asking the Court to give a date and refer the matter to the DPP for legal advice.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. M.O Tanimola, ordered his remand in custody at the correctional center at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending the outcome of the DPP’s advice and directed the prosecutor to duplicate the file and send it to the DPP for legal advice.
The matter was adjourned for mention for the report of the DPP’s advice to be available, which will determine if the matter will be transferred to the High Court or not over jurisdiction.