As the pastor, George Akinleye, who works in one of the leading pentecostal churches (name withheld) was beaten and paraded round the neighbourhood, hisses and jeering rent the air. While many who were appalled and enraged by such sleazy act readily volunteered to lynch him, others were too confused by the scenario, doubting the possibility of a pastor committing such heinous crime and further concluded that the Ogun State-born preacher was unjustly accused.
Did he really have carnal knowledge of the girl? Was he unjustly accused, as opined by some? How did the scandalous brouhaha come about? The victim’s father, known as Baba Akeem provided insights: “About a month ago, we were shocked when our daughter, Elizabeth complained of virginal pains, saying that she was sexually abused by ‘Baba’, the name she calls Akinleye the neighbourhood pastor. Her descriptions of what transpired between her and Akinleye showed that she was actually raped.
Continuing, the pensive father said: “Angrily, I confronted the man. He accepted getting close to my daughter, but denied raping her; I knew he was lying. I almost got the Police involved, if not for the advice from neighbours to allow the sleeping dog lie. Surprisingly, barely a month later, I came back home from work, only for my daughter to start demanding for the type of drug I gave her in the past when ‘Baba’ abused her. I asked her why she needs it, but to my shock, she said ‘Baba’ abused her again. That was how I raised the alarm and took my daughter to the nearest hospital, for medical examination and possible treatment. This was after the hospital confirmed the abuse”, he narrated.
As his accusers paraded him nakedly round the neighbourhood, his manhood dangled openly and passers-by stood still with hands akimbo, marvelling at both the gravity of his crime, possible innocence and the level of jungle justice meted at him.
With a heavy heart, the ‘man of God’ incoherently unveiled his side of the story to the enraged crowd and his tormentors: “We both live in the same environment, and the father is so close to me that sometimes I ask him for help which he always rendered. I’m innocent of this particular accusation-the recent one. The first time I was accused of raping her, I had gone to their house where I met the little girl working on her school assignment. I offered to help her with the assignment which she gave me and I later returned it to her. I don’t know why nobody believed me, I didn’t have sex with that girl”, he exonerated himself.
He spoke further on the alleged unholy sex: “This time around, she is saying that I ‘double crossed’ her at Somonu Animashaun Street and had sex with her again. How could I have done that? I wasn’t even at that area at the said time of the rape. Before God and man, I didn’t do anything to her this second time that I’m being accused.
However, after being threatened and further investigated, Akinleye shamefully admitted having carnal knowledge of the girl once, but vehemently denied the repetition of the act; even though many believed he admitted under duress, to avoid being lynched by the visibly infuriated mob.
Curious about the true version of the unfolding saga, Sunday Express visited the said hospital-located within the same street-where Elizabeth was taken for examination. The resident doctor who spoke under condition of anonymity confirmed the incident, though he refused answering questions on whether the girl was indeed raped. “She was brought here by her father and I can confirm she is okay now. I’m just appalled by how the accused man was treated. If care was not taken, he could have been lynched. I’m against jungle justice no matter the level of crime committed”, the doctor stated.
Providing more insights, a nurse at the hospital further hinted that ‘not less than two fingers had entered the little girl’s private part’, an indication that she could have been raped or ‘fingered’.
However, hours after the shocking news which immediately went viral attracted the attention of the Police, Akinleye was rescued from the hands of the incensed mob and taken to the Ejigbo Police Station. He was later released on the ground of his infectious ailment. “He suffers from Diabetic Ulcer, a reason the police could not detain him at the station”, the doctor revealed.
As at the time of filing this report, the 47-year-old Akinleye who used to live inside the church premises and preached every morning around the neighbourhood is said to have been chased away from the church. “He is not the presiding pastor of the church, but lives inside the church and was always in the habit of singing and preaching every morning within the area. Though, he is not married and has no child, but whether he truly raped the girl remains a riddle we are all trying to solve”, Tope, the rape victim’s neighbour avowed.
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