Pastor Basil Princewill of Mountain Movers Fire Ministry allegedly
defiled her 14-year-old daughter (names withheld) and made her undergo
an abortion after she became pregnant.
The pastor, Apostle Basil Princewill and Pauline Okoh were charged with criminal
conspiracy, impersonation, intimidation, force and assault, which are
offences contrary to Sections 97, 179, 397 (B) and 268 of the Penal
Code.
The woman, who was led in evidence by Prosecutor Bulus Samuel, said
her daughter told her that the pastor invited her for a deliverance
exercise and requested for oil as well as handkerchief. She alleged
that on the appointed day, the pastor asked her daughter to undress
and when she tried to protest, he slapped her.
"He is feared so much in the church and known as papa," the mother
said. She alleged further that the pastor poured oil on her daughter
and told her that the next part of the exercise is supposed to be
performed by her husband but since she does not have one, he will
represent him.
"He undressed himself and put a handkerchief on my daughter's head,
which made her dumb before having carnal knowledge of her," the mother
alleged.
She said when the pastor discovered that her daughter had missed her
period; he made her undergo an abortion. The woman also told the court
that people in the church thaught the pastor was a lawyer because he
usually writes in his fliers, almanac and books that he read law and
philosophy. A copy of the flier and almanac were tendered as exhibits
in the court.
When the prosecutor then sought to know whether the woman had the
original copy of the medical report in court, she said photocopies
were submitted to the police while the original was at home. The
prosecutor then sought for adjournment in the case so that the
victim's mother can tender the required documents, which were not in
her possession in court.
The defense counsel objected to the request and urged the court to
compel the prosecutor to tell the court the nature of the document. He
said the prosecutor ought to have been prepared for his case, adding
that the document from the evidence is a scan test certificate that
should be presented by a medical doctor.
Senior Magistrate Shuaibu Ahmed adjourned the case to November 13.