A Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin on Wednesday sentenced the General Overseer of Mission House of Divine Land of Joy and Prayer Ministry, Prophet Ajiboye Abayomi Olayinka, to life imprisonment for sexually abusing three underage members of his congregation.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that Olayinka was convicted on three counts involving unlawful sexual intercourse with 13-year-old minors.
The offences were said to have been committed inside the church’s mission house in the Agah area of Ganmo, where he served as spiritual leader.
The court also sentenced the cleric to 14 years’ imprisonment for procuring illegal abortions for some of the victims and threatening them against reporting the abuse.
Delivering judgment, Justice Hammed Aliyu Gegele said the convict exploited his position as a clergyman and subjected the victims to physical and psychological abuse.
The judge described him as “a paedophile and philanderer whose conduct should be deprecated by all and sundry in society.”
Olayinka was arraigned on an eight-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy, unlawful sexual intercourse with minors, illegal abortion and unlawful possession of firearms.
The charges were brought under relevant provisions of the Penal Code, the Robbery and Firearms Act, and the Kwara State Child Rights Law, 2006.
During the trial, the prosecution called 12 witnesses and tendered exhibits before the court. The prosecution team was led by Chief State Counsel, Issa Zakari.
Court Orders Gun Forfeiture
Justice Gegele held that the prosecution proved the charges of unlawful sexual intercourse with minors, rape and illegal abortion against the cleric.
The court, however, discharged him on the count of bigamy, saying the prosecution failed to prove the allegation.
The judge also ordered the forfeiture of a pump-action gun recovered from the convict to the Federal Government.