An Ijebu-Ijesa High Court in Osun State has ordered the remand of a prophet in charge of Celestial Church of Christ in the state, Olukayode Omirin, for allegedly raping a lady who visited his church for deliverance.
Omirin, whose worship centre is located at Ona Iye Temple Cathedral, Olukayode Omirin Way, along Ijebu-Jesa road, opposite Lobtik Guests House Ijeda-Ijesa, Oriade Local Government Area of the state, was initially arraigned at Ilesa Magistrate’s Court but after the state Ministry of Justice took over the matter, he was dragged to the high court.
Prophet Omirin, also known as Dada, was arrested in January 2024 by the police for raping a 20-year-old lady who is a daughter to his neighbour in the area.
It was gathered that Omirin had deceitfully arranged a deliverance session to deliver the lady with the knowledge of her parents, before he allegedly forced her to bed inside the church.
The Point learnt that the family of the lady, said to be a student of the Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, has a cassava farm not far from the Celestial Church and on a certain day while they were on the farm, Omirin approached them and prayed for them after which he prophesied that their daughter would die on her next birthday because he saw in a vision that she is an “emere.”
“Emere” is a Yoruba word that means a human being believed to be a spirit and more powerful than witches, and most often die on a particular day of joy.
For this, the cleric informed the parents that their daughter needed to be delivered to save her from dying on January 20, 2024 when she turned 20 years.
The prophet had arranged for fasting and prayers three nights preceding her birthday, saying they must be done in the church, for total deliverance and avoidance of premature death.
The suspect also had instructed the parents to prepare a celestial garment popularly known as “sultana” for their daughter and withdraw from her any accessories like jewelry and telephone.
The mother of the victim had opted to perform the deliverance vigil with her daughter but the prophet disapproved of it on the pretense that it was against the spiritual instructions he received in his vision.
On January 4, which was the victim’s 20th birthday and the last night of the fasting and prayer, Omirin allegedly took the victim to a room within the church where he ordered her to pull off her clothes and underwear and lay down on a piece of cloth on the floor.
The victim explained that while she lay on the floor, the pastor started rubbing the anointing oil on her body and eventually pinned her down, covered her mouth and forcefully had sexual intercourse with her with the claim that it was the only way to break the bond between her and the claimed spirit
After the alleged act had been done, the lady said she ran out of the church with her blood-stained sultana as the prophet ran after her with a bottle containing an unknown substance which he intended to smear on her.
After the parents reported the incident at the Nigeria Police Divisional Headquarters, Ijebu-Ijesa, Omirin was arrested and later released on bail.
Omirin’s case was later transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department in Osogbo for further investigation.
Before Justice Olamide Oloyede of the Ijebu-Ijesa High Court, the 47-year-old prophet was docked on three count-charges bordering on unlawful rape, offences that are contrary to and punishable under Section 2(2) of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law of Osun State 2021, Section 32 of the Child’s Rights Laws of Osun State 2007 and Section 360 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.
However, Omirin pleaded not guilty to the counts.
Attempts by his counsel, M. Williams to convince the court to grant his oral bail application failed as Justice Oloyede ordered that Omirin be remanded in Ilesa Correctional Centre.
The matter was adjourned till October 7.
