The Ogun State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a 50-year-old prophet identified as Tayo Shobowale, for allegedly raping a 17-year-old church member (name withheld).
The arrest of the prophet in charge of Cherubim & Seraphim church Oke-igbala Ifo Ogun state was confirmed on Thursday by the spokesperson of the state police command, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi.
According to the Oyeyemi, the suspect was apprehended following a report lodged at the family support unit of Ota area command by the victim, who was accompanied by her mother to the station.
“She reported that sometime in March 2021, the prophet invited her to the church for prayer, and that the prophet took advantage of being alone with him in the church to forcefully had unlawful carnal knowledge of her.
The victim further stated that, after the illicit affair, the prophet ordered her to take a spiritual bath in the church with an already spiritually prepared candle, which he used to rub all over her body.
Since then, the victim complained that she has been having a spiritual attack which always makes her fall down and remain unconscious for hours,’ DSP Oyeyemi said in a statement.
According to Oyeyemi, upon the report, the Area Commander Ota, ACP Muhideen Obe, detailed his family support unit to the scene where the accused prophet was promptly arrested.
“On interrogation, the suspect initially denied the allegations, but when he was confronted by the victim, it was very difficult for him to absolve himself of the allegations. Meanwhile, the commissioner of police, CP Edward Awolowo Ajogun, has ordered a thorough investigation of the case and that the suspect be charged to court as soon as the investigation is concluded,” the statement added.
