Star actress and film producer, Stella Damasus, has called the Senior Pastor of the Common Wealth Zion Assembly (COZA), Biodun Fatoyinbo, a serial liar insisting that the funky pastor also raped her friend aside that of Mrs Busola Dakolo.
Damasus made the fresh allegation in a series of tweets on Friday about the controversial Abuja-based flamboyant cleric, who is facing a similar allegation by one Mrs Busola Dakolo, wife of a popular singer Timi Dakolo.
The actress, who disclosed that she just spoke with that friend of hers, described the alleged victim’s experience as “shocking.”
Wondering why people are expressing doubts over Busola’s allegation, Damasus tweeted that her friend informed “people around” the pastor of the alleged rape “but they all suppressed it.”
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Her tweet read:
“I AM IN TEARS RIGHT NOW. JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH SOMEONE I HAVE KNOWN FOR 15 YEARS. SHE HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SAME PASTOR. THE DETAILS OF HER EXPERIENCE WERE SO SHOCKING. SHE TOLD PPL AROUND HIM, BUT THEY ALL SUPPRESSED IT. ARE PPL STILL DOUBTING THIS INCIDENT?”
Damasus who posted five videos online about the rape allegation by Busola, also tweeted:
“Some people have mastered the art of manipulation and brainwashing. It’s not easy to break free from that. God help and heal us.”
Busola, a mother of three, had in a video posted online by a news medium, YNaija, accused the Pastor of taking advantage of her teenage innocence to deflower her while she was a fresh secondary school leaver seeking university admission, right in the living room of her parents in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
She also claimed a second rape incident on a lonely road also in the state capital where Pastor Fatoyinbo’s Christian ministry started from.
However, Pastor Fatoyinbo in a press statement personally signed by him on Friday denied the allegation and gave indication that he would press both criminal and civil charges against Busola.
His statement read in part: “I am aware that there has been a recent media publication on YouTube by YNaija operated and owned by RED Media Group, which shows an interview by Chude Jideonwo with Busola Dakolo. Prior to now, we had adhered to our policy of ignoring rumours from social media accounts as we knew that several statements had been made to extort the church of money and myself through blackmail, harassment and intimidation. We have refused time and again to accede to their request, which has infuriated them overtime; because of this, they have got more aggressive.
“Unlike previous statements where innuendos were used and there was no direct mention of myself or the church, the recent video released on YouTube has now made direct criminal allegations against me in the interview granted by Busola Dakolo, which are fallacious, non-existent and which are all denied in every measure.
“As an individual and as a church, we love and support people, we will never condone any form of rape, harassment, or intimidation of anybody. I have never in my life raped anybody even as an unbeliever and I am absolutely innocent of this.
“Busola Dakolo, who has made this false allegation and her family, attended the church during the early start of the church in Ilorin in 1999. I never had any private interactions with her beyond my pastoral duties. Looking at her status and that of her husband, I am dumbfounded by why she would say such a thing.”
Vowing to take a tough stance against the rape allegation, the pastor said, “We will also not stand for false criminal allegations made against me or the church. The leadership of the church and I have briefed our lawyers to commence criminal and civil actions against all individuals making such false allegations whether directly or by proxies.
“We will as a church pursue every measure within the ambits of the law to bring culprits to justice. We have heard and we will not be surprised to see more of such allegations by people who have been paid to continue in this line of blackmail, harassment and extortion, including those who may have been dismissed from their duties in the church on disciplinary grounds.
“To all our members and those supporting God’s work, I want to assure you that we would fight this and the Lord will vindicate us. This has always been intended to attack the church; this is the intent of the adversary, the intent is to destroy the church, so please stay focused and prayerful.”
The cleric is not new to accusations of sexual indiscretion. Another female former member of the church, Ese Walter, had claimed to have been engaged in a week-long romp with the cleric during a visit to the United Kingdom where she was resident.
But a different statement accusing him of plot to have illicit sex with a married woman in the church, also emerged on Friday. Simply signed by one Franca E, the unconfirmed statement accused the cleric of another attempt at illicit sex.
The unidentified writer gave hints of what might be a clue to sexual indiscretions by the cleric targeted at her, and a long-time sexual relationship with another female who has since left the church. The writer dared the cleric to deny the claims and expect more damaging revelations.
The statement reads:
“I was introduced to the church in Abuja by my childhood friend, who moved to Abuja from Calabar two years before I did. When I joined, she was also a PCU worker. I really felt welcome in the church up until my friend started having problems with other women. She told me it was because Pastor Biodun trusted her with so many official things even above workers that were there before her. I believed her until the day she had an misunderstanding with another worker who called her ‘Ashewo Mary Magdalene’ in the church. After that, her enthusiasm for church started waning while mine was getting stronger till the day she told me she was leaving the church and shortly after she left. By that time, Pastor Biodun had developed an interest in counseling me and then started telling me to take my friends place as a PCU worker. I was reluctant because I didnt feel like coming to church early and leaving late but Pastor Zbiodun assured me that his personal driver will pick me and drop me off and so I agreed. I started work as arranged but after a while, I noticed that the pastor did not respect personal space when talking to me when we were alone.
“He would stand soooooo close and rub my upper arms or my back which made me very uncomfortable. The final straw was when he said I should go with him to Lagos to take notes and transfer same online immediately for some Pentecostal thing he was attending and he knew I was very computer literate. I was excited till we reached Lagos and I realized that only one room was booked at the Wheatbaker Hotel, Ikoyi. Of course I complaint and the Pastor called the front desk ( or pretended to) to demand for another room. He said they would call back when the room was ready. He then told me to help massage his back becos he has back ache from sitting on the flight. I said I was tired since it was already after 8. He then insisted I lay down on the bed to rest while waiting. I said I preferred to sit at the desk and he laughed saying that I was acting like a small girl or a village uneducated girl. He then went in to take a shower. I then called the front desk to remind then about the extra room. I wasn’t surprised when I was told that they had vacant rooms and that nobody had requested for an extra room. By this time, I knew what was up and was ready for the fool.
“I opened his pouch and saw his wallet which had his lisence (sic). Took a picture of the wallet and the Lisence on the pillow on the bed with my head in the shot. I opened the door and took several pictures of myself, the wallet and the Lisence (sic) with the room number. Came back in, once I heard the shower stop, I started audio recording on my BB. He came out with a towel around his waist and started telling me how attracted he was to me. He said many deregatory (sic) things about his wife, calling her a postcard…pretty on the outside but flat and empty upstairs. He said sex with her was like having sex with a cold dead fish…he tried to kiss me and I stood up, picked up my travelling bag, moved to the door, opened it and quickly took a picture of him, standing with a towel around him. He started begging. I called him all sorts of names and insisted he give me money for a separate room or I would scream ‘rape’. To cut a long story short, he asked me to shut the door, I refused, he brought out 2 bundles of N1000 and asked me to delete before he gives me the money. I told him he was in no position to negotiate. Got the money, left the Randy goat with a deflated erection and checked into another room.
“First thing the next morning, I left for ABJ. By the way, remember my childhood friend that introduced me toCOZA? I narrated my experience to her and she confessed that she was sleeping with Biodun for over a year, even on his marital bed when his wife travelled. Oga Pastor, try and deny my story publicly and see American wonder….I still have the pictures and our conversation on tape. Thank God for technology!
Meanwhile, COZA’s founder has denied the rape allegations levelled against him by Timi Dakolo’s wife, Busola.
Mr Fatoyinbo said in a statement Friday evening, “I have never raped before.”
He described the allegations as “falacious”, ”non-existent” adding that “they are denied in all measures.”
“Looking at her status and that of her husband, I am dumbfounded why she would say such a thing,” he said in a statement.