Officials of  the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP)  have arrested a 48-year-old Pastor of the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Church (MFM), Gwarinpa Branch, Abuja, David Onyekachukwu for alleged rape and sexual exploitation of a 16-year-old orphan (Name withheld ) and impregnating her in the process.

According to NAPTIP, the victim dropped out of school after her parent died in 2018.

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The suspect, David Onyekachukwu, from Nsukka, South East part of the country, was said to have volunteered to provide shelter and also  conduct deliverance on the girl after she was accused of witchcraft, but thereafter took advantage of the vulnerability of the innocent girl and devoured her sexually repeatedly.

 

The victim, a Junior Secondary School (JSS2) Student of one of the government schools in Abuja, suddenly dropped out of school and was in dare need of accommodation shortly after the death of her parents in 2018.

 

Investigation revealed that the randy Pastor, who lost his wife sometimes ago, was then living with his daughter in the same compound with the victim’s deceased parents in Karmo community in the suburb of Abuja, volunteered to harbour her and assist her in her education so as to give her a fulfilled life.

 

According to the victim, after the first year of their living together, the Clergy man started making love advances toward her, an action she constantly resisted.

 

She narrated that the first time the Pastor raped her was in March this year during her birthday. She explained that the Man had taken her and his daughter out on birthday celebration to some relaxation centres in Abuja.  According to her, in the evening, after daughter of the Pastor had gone to bed, he approached her and pounced on her ignoring all pleas for mercy.

 

It was gathered that the Clergy had since continued to rape her at will thereby resulting into pregnancy.

During interrogation, the Pastor confessed to have sexually abused the girl only twice and attributing the evil act to the” work of the devil “.

 

He stated that he actually took the girl in to conduct deliverance for her and also enroll her in school having missed school for about two years.

 

“After the deliverance, she has no place to stay, I then took her to live with me and my daughter” the randy Clergyman confessed.

 

In her reaction, the Director General of NAPTIP, Dame Julie Okah – Donli, described the action of the man as the highest form of wickedness against fellow human being considering the fact that the victim is vulnerable and a helpless orphan.

 

“I am deeply sad and disappointed by the action of this man who ordinarily ought to have provided hope for the girl by virtue of his position as a clergy. Rather than doing what is biblically expected of him in line with his calling, he abused his position and preyed on the very victim he was supposed to protect.

 

“ Arising from the increased cases of rapes and sexual abuses of  female children and even male  across the country, I have directed massive sensitization of men folks across the country in order to arrest the situation. This prevailing evil act must stop”, the NAPTIP boss said.

 

She disclosed that the case shall be diligently prosecuted in order to secure justice for the victim. 

 

Stella Nezan

Head, Press and Public Relations Unit

 In the same vein, the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, on Monday, 3rd Jun, have placed Pastor Onyekachukwu on  indefinite suspension, saying he was “not an ordained pastor” and had been arrested by the police.

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In a statement, the Regional Overseer, Gwarimpa Region, MFM, Pastor Niyi Babalola, confirming the suspension says, “He (Onyekachuku) is not an ordained pastor in the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries. He is just a member/worker in the Life Camp branch and he has been suspended from the branch immediately.

“The church cannot stop the law from taking its course as doing so will amount to condoning evil and being an accessory after the fact. After investigation, we confirm that the rape and pregnancy of the girl are true and the matter is currently being handled by the police.

“However, we want to say that the alleged person is not an ordained pastor or an officially appointed pastor of MFM, Gwarimpa Region. This is therefore a personal issue between the brother and the innocent victim.

“It has nothing to do with the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries. In MFM, the leadership does not condone indiscipline. Absolute holiness within and without is our hallmark in the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries. This is of priority in all our trainings and teachings to our pastors and members. The alleged brother is already in the custody of the police to allow the law to take its course.”

Onyekachuku was said to have volunteered to provide shelter and also deliver her from alleged witchcraft.