But for a DNA test that revealed that he is not responsible for the pregnancy of one of his church members, a pastor of Baaki Baptist Church, Ogbomosho, Oyo State, Titus Ajibade Oladipupo, would have continued to take care of the pregnancy that he did not father and might have been possibly jailed.
Oladipupo, a 65-year-old cleric, was wrongly accused in 2022 by one of his female church members simply identified as Abigail of raping and impregnating her.
The teenager’s aunt, whom Abigail was staying with and attending the same Baptist Church with, had discovered that the girl was pregnant.
When family members asked Abigail who was responsible for her pregnancy, she had claimed that Oladipupo forcefully made love with her in his office before putting her in the family way.
To this end, the clergyman was arrested by men of Owode Police Division in Ogbomosho and detained.
In an interview, Oladipupo said policemen at the station forced him into accepting responsibility for the teenage pregnancy and also committed himself into caring for it before they could release him from the cell after spending three days.
Oladipupo said he was eventually dragged to a Magistrate’s Court and charged for rape.
According to him, it was after two series of DNA tests were conducted before it was discovered that he did not have sexual intercourse with the girl, let alone impregnate her.
“It happened in July 2022. The girl alleged that I impregnated her and she went to a Police station at Owode to report me. The girl is staying with her maternal aunt for about six years, the mother sweeps church premises once a week and she always comes to assist her aunt clean the church.
“I was at my office on July 7, 2022 when the woman she was staying with alleged that the girl informed her that I was responsible for her pregnancy. I denied it saying it can never happen. In fact, for her to believe, I swore with the Bible that day. After that day, someone who called himself a pastor met them and asked them not to believe my defence. They gathered and took the girl to the Welfare Section of the State Ministry of Children and Women Affairs, they called me from Welfare Unit and the two lawyers agreed, when we got to court, they cooked up another allegation that I raped the girl.
“So, they took me to the police station at Owode, and they locked me up. I was very sad at that time and while in custody, I was only singing praises and people gathered to solidarise with me.
“The police said they were only going to release me that night on the condition that I accept responsibility for the girl’s pregnancy and that I would be taking care of her forthwith. I refused. On the third day of my being in cell, a police officer came and was surprised that I was still in custody. He met with the other officers at the station, so I later accepted to be taking care of the girl. Later, I was released.
“After I was released, I was paying N25, 000 monthly to the girl and other money for her hospital treatments. At the court, we were asked to do a DNA test. We then went to Ibadan Diagnostic Centre for a DNA test but after we returned, the Magistrate doubted the DNA report because we did it at a private centre. He then referred us to a public diagnostic centre in Lagos and we did it again. When they brought out the DNA results, the two of them indicated that the probability of me fathering the child is zero.
“The Magistrate was infuriated and said they wanted to send me to prison by force. The Magistrate discharged and acquitted me.”
According to the cleric, “It was Abigail’s mother and someone else that cooked up the allegation. It was something that made my heart bitter because it happened at a time I was rounding off my assignment in the church. I am almost 65 and by next year, I will retire. I thank God and my wife for trusting me.”
