An Ado-Ekiti High Court has sentenced Mr. Enoch Gbinyiam, a pastor at Winners Chapel Church in Omuo-Ekiti, to life imprisonment for sëxüally assaulting a minor on church grounds.
The case, led by State Director of Public Prosecutions Mr. Julius Ajiba, centered on a single rape charge.
Ajiba stated that the incident happened when the victim, who frequently helped the pastor’s wife and children, visited the vicarage.
“On one occasion, the defendant laced a bottle of Fanta with a substance and gave it to her,” Ajiba explained. “The minor drank it, fell asleep, and later awoke bleeding profusely from her vagina.”
The prosecution argued that Gbinyiam’s actions breached Section 2 of the Gender-Based Violence (Prohibition) Law, 2019, resulting in his arrest, charge, and trial. Ajiba presented four witnesses and two exhibits as evidence.
The defense, led by Mr. Adeyinka Opaleke, pleaded not guilty and called one witness.
However, after examining the evidence, Presiding Judge Hon. Justice O.I.O Ogunyemi concluded that the prosecution had proven the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Justice Ogunyemi convicted Gbinyiam and sentenced him to life imprisonment in a Correctional Center.
This verdict marks a significant step in combating sexual violence, underscoring the judiciary’s dedication to ensuring accountability, particularly in trusted community settings.
