General Overseer Jailed Over Alleged Child Abuse Scandal

According to Ireporter Online, the court also convicted the cleric on multiple counts bordering on unlawful sexual intercourse with 13-year-old minors, offences which were committed within the church’s mission house located in the Agah area of Ganmo, where he served as spiritual leader. In addition to the life sentence, Justice Hammed Aliyu Gegele handed Olayinka a 14-year jail term for procuring illegal abortions for some of the victims and for issuing threats aimed at preventing them from reporting the abuse.

Delivering judgment, Justice Gegele stated that the convict abused his position of spiritual authority to exploit vulnerable minors, subjecting them to both physical and psychological trauma. The judge further described him as “a paedophile and philanderer whose conduct should be deprecated by all and sundry in society.”

Olayinka was arraigned on an eight-count charge including criminal conspiracy, unlawful sexual intercourse with minors, illegal abortion, unlawful possession of firearms, and other related offences under the Penal Code, the Robbery and Firearms Act, and the Kwara State Child Rights Law of 2006. The prosecution, led by Chief State Counsel Issa Zakari, presented 12 witnesses and submitted several exhibits during the trial.

The court, however, discharged him on the count of bigamy, ruling that the allegation was not proven beyond reasonable doubt. Justice Gegele also ordered the forfeiture of a pump-action gun recovered from the convict to the Federal Government.