A pastor in Imo State has been sentenced to eight years in prison for raping the wife of one of his church members.
Justice T. N. Nzeukwu of the Imo State High Court found Pastor Desmond Eke, the founder of Deliverance Ministry of the Good Shepherd in Umuehieta Avu, Owerri West Local Government Area, guilty of taking advantage of the woman who had placed her trust in him.
The court tried Eke on three counts, including raping the victim and administering a substance that left her dizzy and weak, which he then exploited to assault her.
According to the prosecution counsel, Chioma Emuka, the victim only regained consciousness to find the pastor still assaulting her. When she questioned him, Eke claimed that his semen was “holy enough” to deliver her from a marine spirit that was supposedly troubling her.
In his judgment, Justice Nzeukwu convicted Eke of the charges of breaching trust and raping the woman but acquitted him on the third count, which involved causing injuries during the assault. The judge explained that since the woman was not fully conscious during the incident, she could not have resisted, and therefore, no injuries were inflicted.
Before sentencing, Eke’s defense counsel pleaded for leniency, arguing that the pastor had demonstrated good behavior by attending all court sessions without attempting to flee. He requested that the court consider probation instead of a full prison sentence. However, the judge ultimately decided on an eight-year prison term.
This case marks the first conviction under the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act in Imo State. The matter was brought to light by the civil society organization Onurube, which followed the case through to its conclusion.
Marjorie Ezihe, the convener of Onurube, praised the court’s decision, stating, “This conviction will serve as a deterrent to those who seek to violate women and abuse their positions of trust.”