The Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence court handed down a life imprisonment sentence to the founder of iReign Christian Ministry, Feyi Daniels, for raping a member of his congregation.
Justice Rahman Oshodi, presiding over the trial, convicted the Lagos-based pastor of rape and sexual assault against a female churchgoer.
During the trial, Bishop Daniels, defending himself, took the stand and suggested that three of the four women who accused him of sexual assault had colluded against him.
He said that one of his accusers had later apologized to him.
Daniels said, “I believe all three ladies turned against me, but not (name withheld) because she later apologised to me.”
In a rigorous cross-examination, the lead prosecutor, Babajide Boye, attempted to prove that Bishop Daniels had close personal connections with the four accusers.
A victim claimed that the [sexual] assault occurred during a prayer session while Daniels spoke in tongues
He claimed that Daniels had offered counsel to one, provided N100,000 for medical expenses to another, paid educational fees for a third, and interacted closely with a fourth who was a leader in a campus fellowship linked to his ministry in Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State.
Bishop Daniels, however, refuted the claim of giving medical financial assistance to one of the women. When questioned about the sexual nature of all the accusations, he expressed ignorance.
Prosecutor Boye further challenged Daniels, accusing him of exploiting his pastoral position to manipulate those seeking his counsel. Daniels denied these allegations, insisting that he did not use his position to manipulate anyone.
Additionally, the prosecution highlighted inconsistencies in the Bishop’s statements and sought to submit four statements allegedly made by Daniels while in police custody.
Boye argued for their admissibility based on Section 232 of the Evidence Act, stating that even improperly obtained evidence can be admissible.
The defense counsel, Adebayo Adegbite, objected to the admissibility of these statements, contending that they were made under duress and that the Bishop did not voluntarily author them.
“The statements are a mixture of confession and denial. We leave it to the court to determine whether they amount to a confession.
“Right from the start of the trial, the defendant has denied the charges, insisting that the documents weren’t made voluntarily. Even if there were contradictions, he wasn’t the maker of the documents, they were written by the police,” Adegbite stated.
Ultimately, Justice Rahman Oshodi decided to admit the documents into evidence, citing sections 9(3) and (4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State (2021), which states that video testimony of the suspect is preferred but not mandatory.
The judge overruled the defense’s objections, stating that he would later assess the evidential value of the documents.
The judge said, “By Section 9(3) and (4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State (2021), the presence of a video testimony of the suspect is desirable but not compulsory.
“I will admit the documents and later consider the evidential value to place on them. The objection of the defence is hereby overruled.”
This isn’t the first time Daniels faced legal consequences for his alleged sexual assault of female members. In May 2023, he was remanded in court on charges of raping a 25-year-old woman at his Lekki residence.
The victim recounted the disturbing incident, claiming that the assault occurred during a prayer session while Daniels spoke in tongues.
