Court sends pastor to prison for raping church member

A Chief Magistrates’ Court, on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, ordered the remand of a 34-year-old Pastor, Kelvin Imo, at the correctional centre in Makurdi, the capital of Benue State, for allegedly raping a church member.

Imo, who resides in Makurdi, was charged with rape.

The prosecutor, Inspector Friday Kanshio, told the court that the case was received at the State CID in Makurdi on September 2, through a petition written by the victim against the pastor.

Kanshio said the complainant stated in the petition that she went to a Living Faith Church branch in Makurdi on April 22 to see the accused, who was her pastor, for prayer and counselling.

She disclosed that after praying for her, the pastor used a handkerchief to wipe her face, and she lost strength.

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The complainant said the pastor overpowered her because she could not struggle, and he forcefully had carnal knowledge of her inside the church without her consent.

Kanshio stated that the cleric was arrested during a police investigation for committing the offence.

He added that the offence contravened Section 284 of the Penal Code Laws of Benue, 2004.

The Chief Magistrate, Kevin Mbanongun, did not take his plea for lack of jurisdiction over the matter.

Mbanongun adjourned the matter until October 8, 2025, for further mention.

The Star