An Imo State High Court sitting in Owerri has sentenced one Pastor Desmond Eke, founder of Deliverance Ministry of the Good Shepherd in Umuihita Avu, Owerri West local government area to eight years imprisonment for raping the wife of his church member.
The Pastor was found guilty of taking undue advantage of the woman who had placed so much trust on the cleric.
Eke was arraigned on a three-count charge of raping the woman who was also a member of his church and administering a stupefying substance on his victim which made her dizzy and weak.
According to the prosecution counsel, Chioma Emuka, it was while in the dizzy state that the convict took advantage of the woman who woke up to consciousness while he was still inside her.
The Prosecutor said on enquiry on why he had to violate the woman, the pastor told the 25-year-old woman that his semen was holy enough to deliver her from marine spirit.
Delivering his Judgement, Justice T.N Nzeukwu convicted Pastor Eke on two-count charge of breaching trust and for raping the woman.
The Judge however discharged him on the third count which bothered on inflicting injuries during the sexual assault.
The Judge explained that since the woman was not completely conscious during the incident, there was no way injuries could result, since there was no resistance.
Before the judgement, the defence counsel, Barr Ohaka had pleaded that his client had been of good behaviour having been present in court throughout the trial without jumping bail.
He pleaded that instead of a full sentence, his client be put on probatio.
Recall that a civil society organisation, Onurube had reported the matter with a pledge to follow it up to its logical conclusion.
Speaking on the judgement, Convener of Onurube, Marjorie Ezihe commended the court for convicting the pastor.
Ezihe expressed optimism that the conviction would serve as a deterrent to those intending to indulge in inhuman acts of having carnal knowledge of women without their consent.