CRIME
Woman Tells Court How Cleric Allegedly Defiled Daughter
A businesswoman (name withheld) on Monday told an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court how a pastor, Chris Mcdouglas, allegedly defiled her 17-year-old daughter.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mcdouglas, a Pastor at Peculiar Generation Assembly Church, Lagos, is facing a nine-count charge bordering on defilement and sexual assault by penetration.
He, however, pleaded not guilty.
The businesswoman is the mother of the alleged victim.
She was led in evidence by the state Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr Babajide Martins.
She testified that the defendant had sexual intercourse with her daughter on different occasions from 2017 to 2020 in the guise of taking her out for gospel ministration.
The witness said that the defendant had sex with the survivor at the back of his church, in different hotels and in her house.
According to her, the defendant cried when she confronted him for defiling her daughter and he blamed it on the devil.
She said: “Pastor Mcdouglas would come to my house and ask my daughter to follow him for ministration so as to use her talent as a chorister to bless others.
“According to my daughter, he would branch to a hotel and have sex with her.
“When I confronted him with some leaders in the church, he said he was deceived by the devil and told me to forgive him.”
The witness said that she recorded her conversations with the defendant as well as his alleged confession, on her phone.
“The pastor, who I trusted so much with my family and see as my spiritual father, had sex with my daughter.
“My daughter told me that Pastor Mcdouglas would sneak into the house while I was not around, cover the curtains, cover her mouth and force himself on her.”
The witness further told the court that the alleged sexual encounter with the defendant had plunged the survivor into depression, making her faint occasionally.
She told the court that each time her daughter fainted, the defendant would come and pray for her and request that she should give an offering.
“I used my salary most times to sow seed on the instruction of Pastor Mcdouglas.
“My daughter said that, sometimes, the pastor would call her to his house to help and wash his children’s clothes and end up raping her.
“He threatened my daughter that she would die if she told anyone about it,” the witness said.
NAN reports that six audio recordings of conversations between the witness and the defendant which were contained in a flashdrive, were admitted in evidence.
While being cross-examined by defence counsel, Mr Suleiman Salami, the witness told the court that she had known the defendant for more than 12 years and that her husband had been outside Nigeria for 10 years.
She said that the defendant collects money from her family but did not offer financial help to her family.
According to her, she was a member of the church’s ushering department, administrative officer and a member of building committee of the church until she left in 2020.
She told the court that the survivor was her first daughter.
The Investigative Police Officer, Insp Akikuowo Omiere, also a prosecution witness, told the court that she received a report on April 15, 2020, to the effect that the defendant had canal knowledge of his 17-year-old church member.
During cross-examination, the witness said that the survivor told her that she had not had sex before then.
She added that she was shown a medical report of the survivor from Mirabel Medical Centre, which revealed vaginal penetration.
Justice Ramon Oshodi adjourned the case until Feb. 8 for continuation of trial. (NAN)
The Nigerian Police Command in Borno has apprehended two suspects and recovered 25 stolen mobile phones during a stop-and-search operation along Damboa Road, in Maiduguri.
The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Daso, disclosed this in a statement in Maiduguri on Wednesday.
Daso explained that the suspects, identified as Ibrahim Abubako, and Ibrahim Mohammed, were intercepted by the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) on Dec.
10 while riding a tricycle.He said that during the search, the operatives uncovered various mobile phones reportedly stolen from individuals across communities and villages along the Borno -Adamawa State border.
He identified some of the communities as Mubi, Tashan Alade, Miringa, Kwaya Kusar, and Biu Local Government Area of the state.
The spokesman said that during interrogation, the suspects confessed to snatching the phones from their victims.
“The police have initiated efforts to return the recovered devices with their rightful owner.
“Also, the suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations,” he said.
Daso reiterated the commitment of the Police Commissioner in the state, Yusufu Lawal, to maintain public safety during the Yuletide season. (NAN)
From Dan Amasingha, Minna
Days after the Chairman of Katcha local government area of Niger State, Danlami Abdullahi Saku was assaulted and seriously injured over his inability to settle a campaign loan he obtained, the State Police Command said three suspects were now in their custody over the incident.
Niger State Police Command Spokesman, Wasiu Abiodun in a release on Wednesday said On 16/06/2024 at about 1800hrs, information was received at Katcha Div that the Chairman Katcha LGA Hon.
Danlami Abdullahi Saku was attacked by some miscreants along Saku-Gadza village after the Sallah prayer at his village Saku, Katcha LGA.According to the Police Public Relations Officer, the attack was allegedly reported to be linked to a debt issue between the Chairman and one Yanda of the same area.
He noted that the Chairman sustained serious injury during the attack and he was taken to Gen. Hospital Bida, and later referred to another hospital for further treatment.
A preliminary investigation was conducted at Katcha Div and three suspects were later identified, apprehended and transferred to Bida Area Command.
The suspects arrested are; Alh. Abdullahi Kasimu 68yrs of Gadza village, Katcha, Alh. Baba Moh’d 30yrs of the same village and Ahmadu Moh’d 25yrs.
The suspects were transferred to SCID on June 21st for discreet investigation and prosecution.
“During interrogation, Kasimu narrated that he lent the victim over a million naira since August, 2023 and that several attempts to recover the money proved abortive.
“He further said that on June 16th, the victim promised to come and see him, and while he was on the way after the Sallah prayer, his son Ahmadu Moh’d, his in-law Alh. Baba Moh’d among others accosted the Chairman, had an altercation and inflicted serious injuries on the victims”
The State Police Command acknowledged that the victim was about to transfer the money to him at the point before being rushed to the hospital.
However, the suspects are under investigation in SCID, Minna. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend others at large, and they will be charged to court for prosecution immediately after investigations.
There was a drama as the sacrificial ram of the Chief Imam of the Mista Ali community in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, Imam Abdulkadir went missing on the eve of the Ed-el-Kabir.
Abdulkadir’s ram was reportedly stolen during a downpour in the area on the eve of the Ed-el-Kabir.
An Imam in the community, Haruna Yaqub, disclosed this during the sermon, shortly after the two Raka’at prayers.
Yaqub, who condemned the incident, described it as “insensitive”.
He added that the act showed that people lack fear for God.
The Imam said, “The Ram of our Chief Imam, which he purposely brought to sacrifice, has been stolen in the night.
We are really shocked by the incident. We were surprised to hear this story. This means that people are not God-fearing.“It is scary that people have gone to the extent of stealing ram meant for religious activity.”
Speaking further, he urged people to be God-fearing and not engage in either stealing or any act of criminality.
He stressed that everyone will account for their actions on earth and hereafter.
“It is high time people repented and took the path of Allah. It is not too late. People should stop committing bad things and act according to Allah’s commandments,” he urged.
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