A Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court sitting in Ikeja has sentenced a 63-year-old cleric to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of raping a church member’s daughter.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, April 16, 2026, Justice Rahman Oshodi held that the convict abused his position of spiritual authority and trust to exploit the victim.
He described the act as a “reprehensible betrayal,” noting the grave breach of confidence placed in him as a religious leader.
The ruling was disclosed in a statement posted on Friday, April 17, 2026, by the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (LSDVA) via its official X handle.
The court convicted the defendant on three counts of rape and sentenced him to life imprisonment on each count, with the sentences ordered to run concurrently.
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During the trial, the prosecution team led by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr. Babajide Martins, called five witnesses, including the victim, her mother, and a medical doctor.
Medical and documentary evidence were also tendered in support of the charges but the defendant denied the allegations, insisting the relationship was consensual.
The court, however, rejected the claim, holding that the prosecution had proved rape beyond reasonable doubt.
Justice Oshodi further noted that the victim’s testimony was supported by corroborative medical and circumstantial evidence, including accounts of repeated abuse.
The court also ordered that the convict’s name be entered into the Lagos State Sexual Offenders Register in line with the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency Law, 2021.
“The law must protect the vulnerable, and this court will not hesitate to punish abuse of trust in the strongest terms,” the judge said.