Pastor faces trial for allegedly sexually molesting minors

A Lagos-based pastor and chairman, Community Development Association (CDA) of Alagbelebu Street, Kudeyiebu Estate, in Ijegun, Lagos, Joseph Ogunleye, is to face trial for sexually molesting two minors.

The victims were aged seven and 10 years and attend the suspect’s school located at 20, Alagbelebu Street, which serves as the accused’s residence, school and church.

Coordinator, Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT), Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, said the matter is already in court, while trial will commence in October.

Recounting their ordeals, one of the victims (Mary), said the suspect always asked her in the company of the second victim, Bilikisu, to fetch water for him in his bedroom during the school daily break periods.

According to her, on that fateful day, Ogunleye allegedly came into the house and asked Bilikisu to wait outside, threw Mary to the bed, removed her pants, undressed himself and greased his penis, laid on the bed and inserted his penis into her vigina.

“When he was done, he cleaned me up and warned me that if I ever told anyone, I would die. Thereafter, he asked Bilikisu to come into the room”. She added. Mary also alleged that Ogunleye has been having sex with them since last year and they couldn’t tell anyone for fear of dying.

Meanwhile, residents of Kudeyiebu Estate have remained astonished over the despicable act allegedly perpetrated by the chairman of Landlords and Tenants Association of the estate.

Already, the Onijegun of Ijegun, Oba Alani Akinremi, The Guardian learnt, has expressed willingness to see to the logical conclusion of the matter, saying the Ijegun community is willing to send their lawyer to join in the suit with the family and the state.

The monarch disclosed this when a Non Governmental Organisation, Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP) led a fact-finding team comprising officials of Igando/Ikotun Local Council Development Authority to the palace.

How the deed was discovered

MARY was playfully telling one of the children within the neighborhood that Bilikisu is Mr. Ogunleye’s wife. Bilikisu responded that Mary is his wife too since he does the same thing to both of them. The neighbour’s child mentioned this to the hearing of her mother, who insisted on finding out what was being done to the children by Ogunleye.

The neighbour visited Mary’s house and asked the mother to find out from Mary what Ogunleye does to her child. Mary was afraid to say, having been told that she would die if she told anyone. The parents therefore prevailed on her to speak, to which she narrated the story of how the man has been having sex with them after greasing his penis with “groundnut oil”.

Mary’s mother on hearing this went to Ogunleye’s compound, called him out from his church and pleaded with him not to continue having sex with her daughter. He promised never to touch them again.

But Mary’s mother requested that he should provide some money for Mary to undergo medical diagnosis to which Ogunleye refused, querying why the girl should seek medical care. He asked the mother if she is taken to the hospital after having sex with her husband.

The mother got angry and went home, only to be summoned to the Oba’s palace. On getting to the palace, the Oba asked the parties to narrate their stories. On hearing from both parties, the Oba invited two other women to examine the girls in company of their mothers to which they confirmed that the girls have been experiencing virginal penetration.

According to Oba Alani Akinremi, he received a phone call from Ogunleye that parents of his pupils were blackmailing him. The Oba said in a bid to find out why he was being blackmailed and proffer peace, he summoned the parents. It was during his intervention that the monarch realized the pastor was being accused of sexual molestation of two girls attending his school.

Considering the safety and health of the girls, the Oba offered to pay for immediate medical examination. After the examination, Ogunleye admitted to have sexually molested the girls and apologized to the parents, promising never to repeat same again.

But the Oba at this point asked him to write an undertaking, stating his admittance and apology of which he wrote, signed and thump printed.

A day later, police officers from Isheri Police Station, acting on the alleged prompting of Ogunleye, arrested both parents of Mary and Bilikus, including Mary’s uncle on the grounds that he was being blackmailed.

When the Oba made efforts to find out reasons for the arrest, Ogunleye denied the charge of sexually molesting the girls, claiming to have signed an undertaking under duress from the Oba. The police from Idimu Police Station, Area ‘M’ Command, later arrested Ogunleye following complaints by parents of the victims.

He has since then not been seen in the community. However, his nephew, Mr. Idowu Gbenga, said the suspect has been in custody at Panti Police Station.