An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Monday, April 17, remanded a clergyman, Bishop Daniel Oluwafeyiropo, for allegedly raping two of his church members.
Oluwafeyiropo, who is the founder of ‘I Reign Christian Ministry’, was remanded in Kirikiri correctional centre pending the fulfillment of his bail conditions.
The suspect was earlier arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on rape.
The offence contravenes section 260 (2) of the criminal laws of Lagos state, 2015.
The suspect was said to have committed the offence in June 2020 at Ikota Villa Estate, in Lekki, Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that during the trial, Ramon Oshodi, the presiding judge, admitted the defendant to N20 million bail with two sureties in like sum.
The judge ordered the suspect to submit his international passport and adjourned the case till May 9, 2023.
He said one of the sureties must be the owner of a build-up property in Lagos State and the property must be enough to ver the bail sum.
“The original document of the landed property must be submitted to the chief registrar of Lagos State,” the judge said.
“The sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and must have three years’ tax payment to the Lagos State,”
Olukunle Oyewole, the defence counsel, had earlier moved for the bail of the suspect on liberal terms.
“My lord, the defendant was not informed on the day the matter came up for the first time before this court,” Oyewole said.
“The defendant is a well-known religious leader and he has shown by his action that he will not jump bail. The offence for which he is charged with is a bailable offence and he has credible sureties that can stand for him,”
Babjide Boye, lead prosecution counsel, had urged the court to reject the bail application, adding that the offence committed is serious.
“There is also a possibility of the defendant interfering with the prosecution witnesses,” Boye said.
“He is a bishop of so many branches and if granted bail, he may use his position to influence the prosecution witnesses as he is regarded as a man of authority who has the possibility of committing the same crime.
“We urge the court to deny the defendant bail because he has failed to provide the court exceptional circumstances to grant him bail.
The suspect pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Meanwhile, in a video posted on his official Facebook page on Monday morning, the clergyman spoke spoke on his travails, saying that all the attacks against him are politically motivated and discredit his voice as a prophet.
