Pastor Feyi Daniels Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Rape of Church Member

 

In a recent development, founder of iReign Christian Ministry, Feyi Daniels, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence court. The Lagos-based cleric was found guilty of raping and sexually assaulting a female church member, leading to the verdict that he should spend the rest of his life at the Kirikiri custodial facility in Lagos.

The trial judge, Rahman Oshodi, stated that the prosecution successfully established the charges of rape and sexual assault against Daniels, based on the testimonies of a 19-year-old church member and a 23-year-old pastor assistant. Oshodi criticized Daniels, describing him as a liar with no regard for the truth.

Daniels, who took to the witness box in his own defense, claimed that three out of the four women who accused him of sexual assault had conspired against him. The prosecution's lead counsel, Babajide Boye, sought to establish a personal relationship between Daniels and the women, alleging that he had counseled one, provided financial assistance to another, paid school fees for a third, and related to a fourth as a leader in the campus fellowship affiliated with his ministry.

The bishop denied giving money for treatment, asserting that the accusations were a conspiracy against him. During cross-examination, Boye accused Daniels of using his position as a pastor to manipulate people seeking counseling. The prosecutor questioned Daniels about his actions at the Akungba fellowship center, where one of the alleged victims hissed upon seeing him, to which Daniels explained that the person was disgruntled because he couldn't help her financially.

The prosecutor also sought to tender four statements purportedly written by Daniels while in police custody, claiming contradictions between the statements and the defendant's testimony. The defense objected, stating that the statements were not made voluntarily, and Daniels signed them under duress.

In the end, the judge admitted the documents, citing the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State (2021) and overruling the defense's objections.