A 38-year-old Pastor, Ruben Okotie has been sentenced to six months imprisonment without an option of fine for attempted rape. A magistrates in Kwale, Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State, made this decision
The Chief magistrate, Carl Moeteke said the pastor, Okotie was found guilty beyond all reasonable doubt of three counts of conspiracy, attempted Rape and illicit sexual act.
It seems that Okotie had on the 22nd day of February 2016 in Kwale town assaulted his housemaid with a red candle after his wife had gone to visit her sick parents in a neighbouring community.
The housemaid, a 13-year-old native of Akwa Ibom State, was said have resisted the attempt by the pastor to rape her after she returned from market where she was sent to buy food stuff.
The pastor was said to have threatened to throw her out of his house if she refused to give in to his demands next time.
A week later, the accused tried to rape the maid again with the red candle, which he forced into into her private part after dragging her to his bedroom.
The maid disclosed what happened to his wife who then reported him to the police and he was promptly arrested.
Police prosecution witness, Sgt Promise Enebeli, told the court that Okotie confessed to the crime upon interrogation after which he was arraigned.
The Accused’s representatives tried dismissing the wife’s claims , but the court insisted that the evidence before it was overwhelming and that the pastor be remanded in custody for rape.
The motivations behind the attempted rape are unknown, the use of a red candle suggests that they may indeed be ritualistic or perhaps it was just plain old lust. The criminal code stipulates a life sentence with or without the option of caning, but perhaps since a full case of rape wasn’t brought against the pastor that’s why he gets off with six months.