An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Cour has sentenced Danels Oluwafeyiropo, also known as pastor Feyi Daniels to life imprisonment for raping his church member.
The trial judge, Rahman Oshodi, found the founder of the iReign Christian Ministry guilty of rape and sexual assault of a 23-year-old member.
Recall that Bishop Feyi Daniels made headlines after prophetic revelation about the Nigerian 2023 election at Ireign’s headquarters in Opebi Ikeja, Lagos, on his YouTube.
The cleric said, “First, several governors lent their support to Peter Obi before the election; then, BAT was announced by INEC as the winner of the 2023 elections; Peter Obi also lost electoral points due to rigging, as seen on news stations; a video of BAT’s celebratory dance went viral; and the latest one was Peter Obi shedding tears.”
While fielding questions under cross-examination, the prosecution’s lead counsel, Babajide Boye, sought to establish that the defendant, Bishop Daniels, had a ‘personal relationship’ with the four women.
Boye claimed that the defendant had counseled one of the women, given the amount of N100,000 to another for hospital treatment, paid school fees for a third, and related with a fourth as a leader in the campus fellowship affiliated with his ministry at Akungba-Akobo in Ondo State.
However, the pastor denied giving money to one of the women for treatment. He said, “I believe all three ladies turned against me, but not (name withheld) because she later apologised to me.”
Boye accused the defendant of using his position to manipulate people who come to him.
“You are a man of God. Are you not? A powerful man of God. You get trained to counsel, and you use wisdom and the leading of the spirit to manipulate,” he asked.
But pastor Feyi Daniels denied this allegation, saying, “I am not a powerful man; I am a pastor. I do not use power to counsel people; I am not a manipulator.”
The Prosecutor further grilled the defendant, “You visited your Akungba fellowship centre, and when she (one of the alleged victims) saw you, she hissed. Were you not surprised as a pastor?
“No. She was disgruntled because I couldn’t help her financially.”
The judge held that the cleric should spend the rest of his life at the Kirikiri custodial facility in Lagos.
