A Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja has sentenced a 63 year old cleric, Chris Douglas, to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of assaulting a church member’s daughter.
Justice Rahman Oshodi delivered the judgment on Thursday, ruling that the convict abused a position of trust and authority to exploit the victim.
The court heard that Douglas, who was the General Overseer of Peculiar Generation Assembly Church in Oshodi, was regarded as a father figure by the victim and her family.
According to the judge, instead of protecting that trust, the convict betrayed it in a serious and harmful manner.
The prosecution told the court that the incidents occurred in a hotel on multiple occasions, while the victim and her family relied on the cleric for spiritual guidance.
Justice Oshodi also accepted evidence that the victim suffered severe emotional trauma, including depression and recurring harmful thoughts, as a result of the abuse.
During the trial, the prosecution called five witnesses, including the victim, her mother, and a medical doctor. Documentary and medical evidence were also presented before the court.
The victim told the court that she trusted the cleric and never expected such conduct from someone seen as a spiritual guide.
Her mother also testified that she confronted the defendant after learning about the incident.
The convict denied the allegations and claimed the relationship was consensual.
However, the judge rejected that defence, stating that the totality of evidence presented proved the offences beyond reasonable doubt.
The court discharged him on some counts where evidence was insufficient but found him guilty on three counts of rape.
Douglas was sentenced to life imprisonment on each count, with the sentences to run concurrently.
The court also ordered that his name be entered into the Lagos State Sexual Offenders Register.
