An Ondo State Family Court has ordered the remand of a pastor, Adetunji Obatayo, in the Olokuta Correctional Centre for sexually 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 the pastor. Obatayo is also the principal of the school where the 14-year-old victim attends.
The 55-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 pastor.
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.
”Pastor 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, B.A. 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 August 29, 2024 for mentioning.
PUNCH
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