By Damola Emmanuel
Lagos Pastor, Bishop Oluwafeyiropo Daniel, founder of the ‘I Reign Christian Ministry’, was, Monday, ordered to cool his feet at the Kirikiri Maximum Correctional Centre, pending the perfection of his bail condition.
A report monitored on Channels Television said the Lagos State Government charged the clergyman for the alleged rape of two members of his church before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court sitting in Ikeja on Monday.
The defendant, according to the prosecution, reportedly committed the offence sometime in June 2020 in Ikota Villa Estate, Lekki, Lagos, and that the offence contravened Sections 260 (2) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
Bishop Daniel pleaded not guilty to the charge and his counsel, Barrister Olukunle Oyewole, subsequently asked the court to grant him bail on liberal terms, and because as a popular Pastor, he will not bolt away.
Oyewole argued that the defendant had been on police administrative bail since May 20, 2022, and had made himself available to the police.
“My lord, the defendant was not informed on the day the matter came up for the first time before this court.
“The defendant is a well-known religious leader and he has shown by his actions that he will not jump bail.
“The offence for which he is charged is a bailable offence and he has credible sureties that can stand for him,” the lawyer said.
However, the lead prosecution counsel for the state, Mr Babajide Boye, who had opposed the bail, urged the court to refuse the defendant’s application, arguing that the offence was a serious one and that the likelihood of conviction might put the defendant at flight risk.
“There is also the possibility of the defendant interfering with the prosecution witnesses,” Barrister 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.”
But after listening to both parties, Justice Oshodi admitted Bishop Oluwafeyiropo Daniel to bail in the sum of N20 million with two sureties in like sum.
The Judge further ruled that one of the sureties own a landed property in Lagos State and the property must be enough to cover the bail sum.
“The original document of the landed property must also be submitted to the Chief rRgistrar of Lagos State,” the court held.
Other conditions of bail include that the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and must have paid three years’ tax to the Lagos State Government.
The judge also ordered the defendant to deposit his international passport with the Chief Registrar of the court while ordering an accelerated hearing of the case.
Pending the perfection of these bail conditions, the court ordered the remand of a clergyman at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre.
Justice Rahman then adjourned till May 9 for trial.
Channels Television recalled that before Monday’s arraignment, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Dr. Babajide Martins, had issued a legal advice which said that “after a consideration of the facts available in the duplicate case file, the office of the DPP is of the view that there exists prima facie, offence of Rape under Section 260 of the Criminal Law, Ch C17, Vol.3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015 against the Suspect Oluwafeyiropo Daniel.”
Excerpts from the legal advice also said: “Facts from the duplicate case file reveal that the suspect – Oluwafeyiropo Daniel is a pastor and the Founder of I Reign Christian Ministry, that he had a church branch in Akungba Akoko where he had young people as Pastors and Assistant Pastors.
“It is also revealed that Oluwafeyiropo Daniel invites the branch pastors and assistants to his house from time for one reason or the other.
“The Complainant was an assistant Pastor at the Akungba branch who Oluwafeyiropo Daniel took advantage of whenever she visits his Ikota residence. It is revealed that Oluwafeyiropo Daniel having presented himself as his victim’s spiritual father whom they must be loyal to and must never hide anything from him including their body lures the complainant and his other victims into having sexual intercourse with him.
“Although Oluwafeyiropo Daniel denied all allegations and states that he had never at any time assaulted the complainant or any of his other victims, the evidence of the victims in the duplicate case file is cogent, direct and unequivocal and is sufficient evidence against Oluwafeyiropo Daniel.
“In the light of the foregoing, this office shall prosecute Oluwafeyiropo Daniel for the offence of Rape under Sections 260 of the Criminal Law, Cap C17, Vol.3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.”