Update: I’ve Been Secretly Sleeping With My Member’s Pregnant Wife -Pastor Confesses

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

A 40-year-old Pastor, Treasure Igbonazabi of the Living Word Revival Assembly Church, Egbeda, Lagos arrested for raping Esther James, an eight month pregnant wife of his church member has denied that he raped the woman but confessed they have been sleeping together even before she became pregnant.

According to Igbonazabi, the issue of rape does not arise because since the woman and her husband moved into the church premises, he had slept with her on many occasion whenever her husband went to work.
” I did not rape her. I know I have being committing adultery with her but I didn’t rape her. I have to open up and confess so that God will forgive me,” Igbonazabi said.
He said when the family was offered accommodation in the church, he was seduced by Esther and they both started having sex without her husband knowing.
Igbonazabi was arraigned on Monday before Magistrate’s court sitting in Ejigbo with conduct likely to cause breach of public peace, assault and having forcefully carnal knowledge of the victim, Esther, who is eight-month pregnant.
The incident happened at the premises of the Church branch located at Samuel Banjo Street, Car Wash Bus Stop in Abule-Odo, Egbeda, Lagos.
The cleric who hail from Ihiala, Anambra State, allegedly tore Esther’s pant and forcefully had anal sex with her while she went to fetch water from a tap in the church premises in the evening.

Due to the forcefully penetration,Esther was injured and started bleeding from her private. She was rushed to a hospital where she is being treated.
Igbonazabi is married with four children while the victim, Esther is also married and had five children.
Narrating her experience, the victim said she went to fetch water from a tap inside the church premises in the evening when Igbonazabi came out from his apartment wearing boxer pant,  grabbed her and tore her pant. He then forcefully penetrated her from her back, this happened while her husband had not returned from work.
She said her family moved into the church premises after her husband’s business collapsed and they were unable to pay for their rent in January this year. She said when they moved into an apartment inside the church and became a full member of the church, Igbonazabi started pestering her for sex before she became pregnant.
The woman said she was afraid to tell her husband for fear of losing the accommodation offered to her family by the church until the day the pastor allegedly raped her.

She said she couldn’t hide what the pastor did to her especially with the bleeding thus she told her husband what happened. The matter was reported to the police at Area M Command who arrested Igbonazabi and charged him before Ejigbo Magistrate’s court with the alleged offence.

Igbonazabi was charged with conduct likely to cause breach of public peace, conspiracy, assault and rape under the Criminal Code.

He pleaded not guilty and the presiding Magistrate, Mrs J.O.E Adeyemo granted him bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties in like sum.

He was remanded in prison pending when he will perfect the bail and the matter adjourned till 14 November 2016.