₦airaland Forum

On getting my certificate, I went to d village to show my mum. what you have done for me, I cannot tell it all. my mum gave up all to raise me and 8 others, she sold every farm products for me to have the education she lacked. To the woman behind the success. RT for my mum.

I'm trying to stop the tears from flowing down my cheeks but thinking about the sacrifices she made for my happiness. I really can't but let these tears flow. There are a lot of my mates that I saw today at the village and i can't but thank her with what I saw'' he wrote

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama has sentenced a pastor and founder of Mountain Movers Ministry International, Nyanya, Abuja, Pastor Basil Princewill, to seven years jail term after his conviction for raping a 14-year-old girl.

Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf, in a judgment on Tuesday convicted Princewill on two of the four counts contained in the charge on which he was tried.

Justice Baba Yusuf regretted that the defendant was cleric, who the society looked up to as next to God

The judge said as regrettable that a person who called himself a man of God was involved in such shameful, disgraceful and satanic act,

Justice Baba Yusuf said he took into consideration the fate of a young girl and the society in reaching his decision$

The judge was of the view that it was incumbent on the court to deter others with such evil mind from engaging in such acts.

He added: “It is even worrisome when the person involved is a man of God who we should look up to as next to God. Those who serve in the Lord’s vineyard are expected to be an example to the society.

“We have a duty to send signal that this attitude should not be tolerated. It is regrettable that the person who called himself man of God will be involved in such shameful disgraceful and satanic act.

Justice Baba Yusuf noted that by his conduct, Princewill deserved to be kept away from the public, adding that, “he would face the prison walls like a monastery so that when he comes out, he would have been born again.

“I believe the evidence of the PW2 (victim ) to be true and the PW1 (her mother) told the story in the same way the victim told the court too.

“The evidence of the accused was inconsistent and confusing also and the direct evidence given by the victim to her mother narrated the ordeal the victim went through in the hands of the accused.”

The judge added that out of the four-count charge preferred against the defendant by the prosecution, the defendant is convicted on count one, which is rape and count three which is abettment to cause abortion.

He held that though the convict denied raping the victim, his (Princewill’s) evidence contradicted itself, which informed why he should be convicted on the allegation of rape.

The judge discharged defendant on the offences of impersonation and attempt to cause miscarriage, which the judge said the prosecution failed prove the ingredients.

He said, because the convict was a first offender he “is sentenced to seven years for the offence of rape and five years for the offence of abettment which will run concurrently.”

Princewill, who looked pensive all through the proceedings on Tuesday, was araigned in June, 2012 by the police a four-count charge bordering on rape, impersonation and attempt to cause abortion and abetting miscarriage.

He was said to have forcefully had sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl, Favour Iwoha, between July 27 and December 31, 2011 at Mountain Movers Ministry International and his house at Nyanya, Abuja, without her consent and impregnated her.

He was said to have subsequently given her drugs with a view to aborting the pregnancy.

The prosecution said Princewill, on or about January, 2012, attempted to cause miscarriage on the minor when he gave her drugs to take and abort the pregnancy, which caused her to bleed

The offence, according to prosecution, is contrary to Sections 282, 179, 95 and 85 of Penal Code.

In the course of trial, the prosecution called four witnesses. It closed its case on December 9, 2016.

The defendant closed his case on May 24, 2017 having testified for himself without calling any one.

After the judge pronounced Princewill guilty and convicted him, his lawyer, Kekere Akpe, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy,and that the convict was a first-time offender as well as a family man.

Prosecution lawyer, Simon Lough, urged the court to impose a sentence on the convict to serve as a deterrent for others.

Justice Sybil Nwaka of an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on yesterday revoked the bail of Chrisland School Supervisor, Adegboyega Adenekan standing trial for allegedly defiling a two-year-old pupil (names withheld) of the school.

Justice Nwaka revoked Adenekan’s bail for one day after expressing concerns that he might become a flight risk and not come to court at the next adjourned date fixed for Wednesday.

The judge took the decision after Adenekan was led in defense for over an hour by his counsel, Olatunde Adejuyigbe (SAN).

At the end of his defence, the trial judge declined to let him go back home in line with the bail he has been enjoying but rather sent him to Kirikiri Prisons.

“My intuition is telling me that the defendant may not appear tomorrow for the continuation of his trial. For his own security I am hereby revoking his bail and order that he be remanded in Kirikiri Prisons until the next adjourned date,” the Judge ruled.

The defendant is facing alone count charge of child defilement before the court.

During resumed proceedings, Adenekan told the court that he found the allegations that he defiled a pupil of the school as ‘false and highly embarrassing’.

The defendant told the court that he had built a teaching career spanning over 23 years and that no parent has ever accused him of child defilement.

When the defendant was asked how he met the victim’s mother, the school supervisor said he knew the mother of the survivor as one of the parent of pupils at Chrisland School, Ajah, Victoria Garden City.

He said he became aware of the allegation against him on November 14, 2016.

“It was on a Friday around 8pm, I received a call from an unknown number and she introduced as a parent in the school. She outrightly told me that I had sexually abused her two-year-old daughter.

“I was shocked at the allegation. She now further went on to tell me that we should keep the matter between the two of us and not tell anyone.

“She ended the call and thereafter sent me a message that read: ‘I want you to still be friendly with my child’.

Adenekan claimed to still have on his phone the text message sent to him by mother of the survivor.

He also claimed to have told his wife about the discussion he had on my phone.

The defendant told the court that he was also threatened by the father of the survivor.

Adenekan said he reported the matter to the Head Teacher as a result of which a meeting was convened, with the survivor’s mother in attendance.

“During the meeting it was concluded that the child should be examined by the school hospital. The mother refused. She later called her husband who gave his consent”.

Adenekan said it was the mother of the survivor that made arrangement for a polygraph test to be conducted on him by Halogen Securities in Maryland and that he consented because he had nothing to hide.

“I was shocked when the report of the Halogen test came back and it said that I was lying. I strongly believe that the child’s mother and the security company that conducted the test fabricated the results.

“The child was in pre-school 1 when I met her. I only stand at the door of their class and say, ‘hello children.’ The class teacher and the two class assistants are usually there. I have never been alone with the child in question i have never taken her out of the class to.my office, ” he said.

When asked if he defiled the child, he said, ” I have two daughters aged fourteen and sixteen. I would never allow someone do such to my children.

“ I have been married for 18 years. My wife is even here. I have no special relationship with the child.

When the school supervisor was asked if he knew the child drew his penis, he said, “I heard she drew a penis but that is between her and her mother.

“I have never exposed my penis to this child neither have I fingered her or put my penis in her vagina.

“I am very sure everything is fabricated, “Adenekan said.

The two-year-old in her testimony had earlier accused the defendant of defiling her.

She had told the court, “Mr Adenekan put his wee wee (penis) in my bum bum (vagina).

State Prosecutor, B.T Boye had called about six witnesses who testified before the court while the defence had called two teachers of the school who described the defendant as a role model.

Adenekan was forced to open his defence after the court dismissed his application in which he submitted that he had no case to answer.

The trial judge, Justice Nwaka adjourned the matter till tomorrow for cross-examination of the defendant.