A magistrate in Benue State on Wednesday ordered a local pastor to be held at a correctional facility after prosecutors accused him of raping a woman who had come to him for prayers.
The pastor, 34-year-old Kelvin Imo, was arraigned before a Chief Magistrates’ Court in Makurdi but was not asked to enter a plea, as the court lacks jurisdiction over the charge of rape. The presiding magistrate, Kevin Mbanongun, adjourned the case until Oct. 8 for further mention.
According to prosecutors, the woman, whose name was withheld, filed a petition on Sept. 2 alleging that she had been assaulted by Mr. Imo months earlier. In her statement, she said she visited a branch of the Living Faith Church, opposite the Coca-Cola camp along Gboko Road in Makurdi, on April 22 seeking prayers and counseling.
After praying for her, she alleged, the pastor wiped her face with a handkerchief, causing her to lose strength. She told investigators that Mr. Imo then overpowered her and had sexual intercourse with her inside the church without her consent.
Inspector Friday Kanshio, the police prosecutor, said Mr. Imo was arrested following the complaint. He faces a charge under Section 284 of the Penal Code Laws of Benue, which criminalizes rape.
If convicted, he could face a lengthy prison term.