Pastor remanded over rape of underage church member

A Sango magistrates’ court sitting in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, has ordered the remand of a pastor, Samuel Atolagbe Sunday, for allegedly raping a minor and member of his church. The police said the accused, 54, is the general overseer of a church in Omu-Aran, in Irepodun LGA. He was arraigned over a one-count […]

A Sango magistrates’ court sitting in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, has ordered the remand of a pastor, Samuel Atolagbe Sunday, for allegedly raping a minor and member of his church.

The police said the accused, 54, is the general overseer of a church in Omu-Aran, in Irepodun LGA.

He was arraigned over a one-count charge of rape contrary to Section 283 of the Penal Code. The case was reported on March 1, 2025 by one Arowolo Kemishola, the victim’s mother.

According to the charge sheet, the complainant said, “On 28/02/2025 at about 20:00hrs, the accused came to their house to invite her daughter, 13, to the Babalola Annual Prayer programme at Odo-Owa.

“Based on the trust I had for the pastor,I allowed her daughter to go with him. But on March 1, 2025, my daughter told me that Pastor Sunday lured her to his house where he forcefully had sexual intercourse with her without her consent,” the sheet added.

The police told the court that the accused confessed to the crime. In his ruling, Magistrate H. A. Alege, remanded the suspect at the federal correctional facility in Ilorin and adjourned the case to March 14, 2025.