A UK-based pastor, believed to be originally from Nigeria, has been jailed in London for sexually assaulting a girl and a woman during “private prayer sessions”.
Fifty-five-year-old Benjamin Egbujor, of Harold Avenue in Kent, was found guilty of sexual assault and causing a child to engage in sexual activity.
His 43-year-old secretary, Rose Nwenwu, of Thurlestone Road in London, was also found guilty of aiding him and of participating in the sexual assault.
The Metropolitan Police said Benjamin and Rose committed the offences at their Jubilee Christian Centre (JCC) in Penarth Street in London, Daily Trust reports.
“Officers in the Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Command started an investigation in January 2014 after a teenage girl disclosed to her family she had been abused by Egbujor,” the Met said.
“The victim, who was under the age of 16, said Egbujor told her she had been chosen to attend an individual prayer session.
“After being taken into his private office, the girl was forced to undress and oil was poured over her.
“As a result of further enquiries, officers also interviewed a woman in her 30s who disclosed she had also been sexually assaulted by Egbujor.
“The adult victim said Nwenwu, who worked as Egbujor’s secretary, also took part in the sexual assault by taking her clothes off and pouring oil over her,” the Met police added.
Egbujor was sentenced to three years and four months in jail while Nwenwu received a three-year jail sentence after a five-week trial at Inner London Crown Court.
They were also made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will now have to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register.
An officer at Met’s Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Command, Detective Inspector Angela Craggs, said: “I hope this conviction serves to empower victims of sexual violence to come forward and report to police, and as a warning to offenders who think they can use their position to protect them from the law.”
Police Constable James Bell, of the Met’s Offences and Child Abuse Command, said: “Egbujor and Nwenwu preyed on their victim’s vulnerabilities, whilst satisfying their own sexual urges under the guise of private prayer.
“I fear there may be other victims who have not yet come forward and I urge them or any victim of sexual abuse to tell the police what happened,” he said.
Egbujor appears to be a popular preacher whose sermons are available on the internet, watched by many on the video sharing site YouTube.