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| Rape victim [credit: Outlook] |
Nduka Anyanwu, 51, was sentenced to double life imprisonment by the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Tuesday for defiling and impregnating two biological sisters in a church complex.
Justice Abiola Soladoye convicted the Lagos-based pastor of impregnating two 13-year-old girls and a 17-year-old girl, both of whom had babies.
Ms Soladoye found the prosecution witnesses' testimony to be credible and consistent.
The convict, she said, was morally bankrupt.
The judge ruled that the police should have charged the victims'/survivors' parents alongside the convict.
She called the parents irresponsible, claiming they encouraged the survivors to be defiled by the defendant.
"On several occasions, one of the survivors returned to the parents to complain about the defendant's behaviour. She was beaten and returned to the defendant's residence.
"The prosecution has established the elements of the offences against the morally bankrupt defendant," she said.
The judge ruled that the cleric's name should be entered into the state's sexual offenders register.
Mr Anyanwu committed the offences on August 3, 2020, on Arowojobe Street in Oshodi, Lagos State, according to the Lagos State government.
Five witnesses were called by the prosecution team of Olusola Soneye, Olufunke Adegoke, and Abimbola Adegoke.
The survivors, their parents, and a social worker are the witnesses.
The convict was the sole witness for the defence.
According to the prosecution, Mr Anyanwu defiled and impregnated the sisters under the guise of praying with them.
(NAN)