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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The Presiding Bishop of Lagos-based iReign Christian Ministry, Daniel ‘Feyi’ Oluwafeyiropo, has been remanded in Kirikiri Correctional Centre following his arraignment over alleged rape of two members of his church.
Oluwafeyiropo was arraigned before Justice Ramon Oshodi of Ikeja Sexual offences and Domestic Violence Court, on Monday.
The pastor had earlier been arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on rape and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
He allegedly committed the offences in June 2020 at Ikota Villa Estate, Lekki, Lagos.
According to the prosecution, the alleged offences contravened Sections 260 (2) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
Oshodi admitted the defendant to N20 million bail with two sureties in like sum.
He said one of the sureties must be owner of a landed property in Lagos and the property must be enough to cover the bail sum.
“The original document of the landed property must be submitted to the chief registrar of Lagos State.
“The sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and must have three years’ tax payment to the Lagos State,” the judge said.
He also ordered the defendant to deposit his international passport with the chief registrar of the court and ordered an accelerated hearing of the case.
Earlier, the defence counsel, Mr Olukunle Oyewole, while moving his bail application dated April 10, urged the court to grant the defendant bail on liberal terms.
“My lord, the defendant was not informed on the day the matter came up for the first time before this court.
“The defendant is a well known religious leader and he has shown by his action that he will not jump bail.
“The offence for which he is charged with is a bailable offence and he has credible sureties that can stand for him,” he said.
The state’s lead prosecution counsel, Mr Babajide Boye, in his counter affidavit dated April 14, urged the court to refuse the bail application of the defendant, but left it at the discretion of the court.
Boye argued that the offences were a serious one and the likelihood of a conviction might make the defendant a flight risk.
“There is also possibility of the defendant interfering with the prosecution witnesses.
“He is a bishop of so many branches and if granted bail, he may use his position to influence the prosecution witnesses as he is regarded as a man of authority who has the possibility of committing same crime.
“We urge the court to deny the defendant bail because he has failed to provide the court exceptional circumstances to grant him bail,” the prosecution counsel submitted
Oshodi, however, granted Oluwafeyiropo bail and adjourned the case till May 9, for the commencement of trial.
Recall that Oluwafeyiropo had in February prophesied that the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, would be declared winner of the presidential February 25 election, adding that the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, will cry for sometime.
The cleric, however, said Tinubu would be arrested on the day of his inauguration on May 29, while Obi would later be declared winner of the presidential election.