By Bamidele Kolawole

|

The leadership of Deeper Life Church has refuted the claim that the man accused of having carnal knowledge with a 14-year-old girl is not affiliated with their ministry as a pastor.

In a statement issued by Oka Regional Overseer, Pastor Oludu David, the church condemned the circulating news on social media about Mr. Obatayo Adetunji.

Despite being labelled a Deeper Life Bible Church pastor in Oka Region, Ondo State, Nigeria, in connection with this distressing case, the church asserts that this is false.

The church clarifies that Obatayo Adetunji is neither a pastor nor a worker at Deeper Life Bible Church in Oka Region; that he is not a regular member of Deeper Life Bible Church in Oka Akoko and he sought financial assistance from the church in September 2023 but had no other association with it.

The church urges the public to disregard the defaming reports circulated through various media outlets that misidentified Mr. Obatayo Adetunji as a Deeper Life Bible Church pastor in Oka Akoko or anywhere else.

Recall that an Ondo State Family Court ordered the remand of the defendant, in the Olokuta Correctional Centre for assaulting his foster daughter and procuring an abortion for her three times.

It was gathered that the victim had been living with the defendant since 2020 when her parents handed her over to Obatayo who is the principal of the school where the 14-year-old victim attends.

The 60-year-old defendant was arrested by the men of the state police command after the victim informed her parents about the sexual relationship with the accused person.

He was later charged to court on three counts bordering on defilement, and unlawfully prescribing drugs to procure an abortion thereby killing an unborn child.

The offences, according to the charge, contravened Sections 218, 230 and 328 of the Criminal Laws of Ondo State, 2006.

At the proceeding, the victim told the court that Obatayo had been having intercourse with her since she started staying with him when she was 10 years old.

“Four years ago, my parents released me to live with the pastor due to his desire to train me. On my first day in his house, he forcefully had sexual intercourse with me and told me not to tell anyone about it.

“He had impregnated me thrice and he gave me N5,000 to buy some drugs to abort the pregnancy after many preventive drugs. But during the third pregnancy, he refused to give me money for the drug, and I stole his money to buy the pills.

”He later accused me of stealing his money for my boyfriend which led to the arrest of a boy in our school and I informed my parents about his actions,” the victim said.

Ruling, the magistrate, T.G. Alphonso, ordered the defendant to be remanded in the Olokuta Correctional Centre and directed the case file sent to the Department of Public Prosecutions for advice.

The magistrate ordered the victim to be taken for rehabilitation and adjourned the case to September, 26 2024 for mentioning.