By Samuel Ogude(Warri)
The Senior Pastor, Victory Revival Fasting and Prayer Ministry, Warri, in Warri South LGA Delta State, Bishop Elijah Orhonigbe said he gave thanks to God, his creator for vindicating him for the court to have discharged and acquitted him of the allegation of rape preferred against him by a member of the church and her daughter, Miracle Omalor.
Pastor Oronigbe stated in press briefing over the weekend in Warri, Warri South Local Government Area Delta State. According to him, trouble started on the 20th May 2020 after the church’s midweek service when a member of his church requested to see him and he granted her audience. According to him, the woman complained she had been dreaming about one of her daughters called Miracle Omalor saying in the dream, the woman claimed that the daughter died.
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Bishop Oronigbe said, based on that report, he requested to see the daughter in question and the woman brought the lady to the church and he prayed for her in the presence of three of his church members who also took part in that prayer session saying, the lady left for home at about 11:30 or so. The Senior Pastor said, at about 5:00 pm the same day, while still in the church premises, he saw a large crowd at the church’s entrance, calling him a rapist while banging on the door.
He said:” At about 5 pm that same day, I was still in the church’s premises when I saw a large crowd at the church entrance shouting that “see the rapist..’ ”
Bishop Oronigbe said, base on the allegation, it became a police case and he was detained by the Nigeria Police. According to him, while in the Police Station, he was alleged to have drugged the lady before rapping her, with blood all over her body. He said, in the process, his mobile phone was seized just as one of Ushers and Pastors were arrested, made statements and were detained for hours.
According to him, as that was not enough, while he was in detention, on the third day, the Police brought allegation of impersonation against him as his phone that was in the custody of the Police was loaded with photo shopped pictures, dressed in lawyer’s wig, academic graduation gown receiving award from Barrack Obama, the USA President, having handshake with the Vice President, Osibanjo. He said, the Police went to search his office in his absence and came with up with a arraigned evidence and proof that he was parading himself as a lawyer.
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He said:”My phone that was in police custody was loaded with photo shopped pictures of me dressed in lawyer’s wig, academic graduation gown receiving award from Barrack Obama..”
According to him, he was eventually charged to court saying, before he actually went to court, a lawyer was recommended to his members as only person who can really talk to the Police and he paid him some money. He said, while in the Magistrate Court, he was remanded saying, the lawyer who was recommended to him did all he could to ensure he settles the case by paying the alleged victim. However, he refused until he got to know through the lawyers he personally consulted that, it was the same lawyer who had been luring him to settle the matter by paying the alleged victim, was actually person that started the case with the alleged victim adding, that made him to avoid the said lawyer.
He said:” The lawyer that was recommended to me did all he could to ensure that I settle the case by paying the alleged victim but I refused until information came to me through the lawyers I personally briefed that the lawyer recommended to me was the lawyer who started the case for the alleged victim”.
He said, with these happenings, he was however granted bail saying, while on bail, he took his car for a car wash, he was shocked to see printed copies of the pictures Police planted on his phone inside the car they parked in a brown envelop and kept under the back foot carpet, the action which made him dismiss his driver as they were only two that had access to the car, saying that made him know that he (driver) was part and parcel of the conspiracy.
The Cleric said, the matter eventually went to high court for trial where the Police told the court, they had no money to carry out test to show if drug was in the victim’s blood or urine and equally to investigate the case of impersonation. He said, it became obvious that the victim who initially claimed not to have known any man had her first child at the age of 17 years, and equally pregnant for another man when the case was on, just as her mother admitted in court of her daughter to have given birth to three daughters for three different men. He said, after several months of trial, the court gave judgment and set him free to the glory of God.
The Cleric therefore used this medium to thank church members who stood by him all through the trying period especially his lawyers: Chief E.L Umuze and Barrister Olukoya Ayodele for their good job and especially and most importantly, God Almighty for everything. He said:”After several months of trial, the court gave me judgment and set me free to the glory of God..”