A 30-year old cleric, Prophet Eno Emmanuel, of the Fire Power Church in Ebute Metta, Lagos State, has been arrested and charged for allegedly engaging a 17-year old girl in sex during deliverance prayers inside the church premises.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at the church located at Fatiregun Street, Ebute Metta, Lagos, where the victim’s parents took her to for deliverance prayers.
The Police alleged that the suspect, Prophet Emmanuel, prophesied to the victim’s parents that she will have challenges in future with her stomach and will not be able to put to bed if she eventually gets married.
He then asked the girl to come to the church for special deliverance prayers so that when she get married in future, she will not have any challenges with delivery of babies.
The girl’s parents believed him and asked her to go for the deliverance in the church. She then went for the prayers on 13th and 14th September, 2023, which lasted for two days.
However, the girl had a nasty experience during the deliverance prayers as Prophet Emmanuel brought anointing oil and started robbing on her body down to her private part. When he was unable to bear the orgy, he brought out some concoctions and forced her to drink. Thereafter, she became unconscious and he raped her in the process.
When the girl regained consciousness and discovered that she was raped, Prophet Emmanuel convinced her that healing was taking place and the prayers will continue the next day.
During the second deliverance, she was also raped under the false pretence of deliverance prayers before he allowed her to go home and meet her parents. When the girl got home, she told the parents what happened during the two days prayers.
The alleged dastardly act was reported to the Police in the area and Emmanuel was arrested. He was later transferred to the Gender Section of the Command for interrogation over his alleged conduct.
After rounds of interrogation, the Police found him culpable and consequently charged him before the Ogba Magistrate Court for the alleged offence.
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 refer the matter to the DPP for legal advice.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. O.A. Layinka, ordered the defendant to be remanded in custody at the Correctional Centre at Kirikiri town, pending the outcome of the DPP’s advice and directed the prosecutor to duplicate the file and send it to the DPP.
The matter was adjourned till 16th November, 2023, 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.