The Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos State, on Wednesday, sentenced a 54-year-old pastor, Michael Oliseh, to life imprisonment for defiling his friend’s 12-year-old twin daughters.

Delivering judgment, Justice Abiola Soladoye, described Oliseh, the assistant Pastor of the Anointed Chosen Vessel Ministry in Okota, Lagos, as a “serial rapist” who took turns defiling his friend’s daughters.

Justice Soladoye held that the prosecution had convincingly proved the charges of defilement against Oliseh beyond reasonable doubt.

The presiding judge sentenced Oliseh to life imprisonment on the two-count charge bordering on defilement.

She said: “The testimony of the defendant portrayed him as a serial rapist who took turns to defile the survivors.

“What a disloyal and untrustworthy pastor, who shamelessly and audaciously had sexual intercourse with his friend’s children who were entrusted in his care.

“His conduct is unbecoming of a pastor.

“Having been found guilty as charged with the two offences, the defendant is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment.”

According to NAN, Justice Soladoye said the sentences should run concurrently, adding that the convict’s name should enter the Sex Offenders Register of the Lagos State Government.

Soladoye further berated the parents of the survivors for lack of discipline by sending the survivors to stay with the convict.

“Parents of the survivors lack discipline and ought not to have sent their children to go stay in Oliseh’s house.

“Children are not to be entrusted with rowdy adults. They should be kept in the hands of responsible adults who have their goodwill at heart.

“The need for responsible parenting cannot be overemphasised,” the judge said.

No fewer than five witnesses testified at the trial of the pastor, while five exhibits were tendered.

According to the prosecution counsel, Olufunke Adegoke, Oliseh committed the crimes in November 2017 in Ago, near Okota, a suburb of Lagos.

Adegoke said the defendant defiled the survivors after their father had entrusted them in his care and travelled to the village for a burial.

She further told the court that Oliseh then threatened the survivors that their father would become jobless if they told anyone about the sexual encounter.

The prosecution counsel added that the pastor was caught by one of the neighbours after he had chased one of the survivors in the compound and dragged her with her pant.

Adegoke said the offences violated Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

The Star