Pastor arrested for conducting virginity test on member with finger

The Ogun State Police Command said on Tuesday, that it had arrested a pastor identified as  Adekunle Kayode, 34, for conducting virginity test on  a 20-year-old female member of his church in Abeokuta, the state capital, using his finger.

Kayode, a pastor in charge of Jesus Is The Way Evangelistic Ministry, Olorunsogo, Abeokuta, was reportedly arrested by detectives attached to Kemta Division  in his house, 3, Okeyidi Street, Abeokuta.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement said the pastor’s arrest was carried out when the victim narrated her ordeal to her father who then informed the police of the incident.

The pastor was reported to have been engaging in the act in the church weekly in a bid to confirm the girl's virginity status.

According to the PPRO, “there was also a drama when the victim received ‘holy spirit’ which propelled her to reveal the misdeeds of the pastor who has indulged in this ungodly act for years.

“Another suspect arrested for similar offence  is one Onatade Oluwasegun, 23, of 4, Sheriff Onatade Street, Obantoko for conspiring with the said pastor to use the victim for a ritual purpose.

“The father of the victim alleged that the duo were fond of dipping their fingers in the victim's private part even when she was menstruating for reasons best known to them.

"She also claimed that the pastor recently confirmed her  virginity status when she was to take part in a church programme.

“The victim has also claimed that Oluwasegun used a charm while attempting to rape  her as directed by the pastor possibly for a ritual but she miraculously escaped.

"Meantime,  the police have recovered the charm from the pastor within the church premises.

“The Commissioner of Police, Ogun State, Ikemefuna Okoye, has directed that the matter be transferred to the SCID, Eleweran for further investigation."

Sitting with opposite sex causes STDs, unwanted pregnancies- Imam

The Chief Imam of Adiam Memorial Central Mosque, Iporo Ake, Abeokuta, Imam Talihat Yunus has argued that Islam do not permit the sitting together of opposite sex because it leads to sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies and fornication among others.

His words:
"Sitting with or among the opposite sex is strictly prohibited. When men and women sits together, it results to different mishaps happening in our society like fornication, adultery, sexually  transmitted diseases and even unwanted pregnancies.

The major reason for this segregation in Islam is that whatever you are close to, can make you sin. The only reason that a man and woman can sit together in Islam is only when the two parties are related by blood.

The Qur’an went as far as teaching us that in Islam, men and  women should not handshake, hug or peck the opposite sex that they are not related with. The sitting arrangement in the mosque is a vivid example of what is expected of Muslims whereby where the menfolk will be seated will be different from where the female will be seating. Nowadays, most mosques have where the female will have their ablution separately and it  will be far from where the male will have theirs and they do not share the same toilet. In fact, the women do not see the Imam during prayer but only here his voice because of the way mosque are built. Even when we have societal gathering like funerals, weddings  in Islam, it is expected of us as Muslims to seat separately and segmented".

Aladura Pastor rapes woman in church during ‘spiritual bath’

A 46-year-old Pastor, Olamide Sobowale, of Glory Church of Christ Aladura, Oke-Itoku, Abeokuta, Ogun State, has been ordered to be remanded in prison for allegedly raping a woman while bathing in his church backyard.
Pastor Sobowale, who was arraigned before a Magistrate Court sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta, yesterday, was accused of raping one Dupe Makinde, 30, who lives in Isaje, Abeokuta, while taking a spiritual bath allegedly recommended by the pastor.
The prosecuting counsel, Paul Etusi, told the court that the accused grabbed the complainant while she was in a bathroom within the church premises and raped her.
Etusi said the complainant had already put the soap on her face as she began bathing when the pastor suddenly entered the bathroom, grabbed and raped her with soap on her face.
According to Etusi, the accused had told Mrs. Makinde that he had a vision about her and asked her to come for deliverance in his church.
He said: “He asked the woman to come to the church to take a spiritual bath for her deliverance, but, while the complainant was taking her bath, the accused barged into the bathroom, grabbed the woman and raped her.
“The accused has committed an offence contrary to section 357 and punishable under section 358 of criminal code of law of Ogun State, Nigeria, 2006.”
Magistrate A. Araba after listening to the prosecuting counsel, ordered that the accused be remanded in prison till he gets advice from the Director of Public Prosecution and adjourned the case till September 16, 2013.

Driver arraigned for ‘almost stripping policewoman naked’ in Abeokuta

A 45-year-old driver, Sule Bankole, on Wednesday appeared in an Abeokuta Magistrates' Court for allegedly assaulting a police woman by tearing her uniform.

The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Sunday Eigbejiale, told the court that the accused committed the offence on July 12, at 4 p.m. at Lafenwa Junction in Abeokuta.

He said that Bankole assaulted one Cpl. Blessing Nwauno by pulling and tearing her uniform.

The prosecutor said that the accused, who was divining a Nissan vehicle, was stopped by the police woman when he failed to obey a traffic signal.

"Bankole then forcefully held and tore the corporal's uniform, almost stripping her naked while she was performing her lawful duty," he said.

Eigbejiale said that the offence contravened Section 352 of the Criminal Code and 36 (1) (J) of RTR Vol 4 Law of Ogun, 2006.

The accused, who resides at No. 5 Ayeni St., Panseke, and was represented by his Counsel, Mr Olu Adetola, pleaded not guilty to the charge of assault.

His counsel, subsequently, applied for bail for his client, assuring the court that the accused would not jump bail.

The Magistrate, Mr Martins Akinyemi, granted the accused bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case to Aug. 22 for mention.

Information from NAN was used in this report.