Court Jails 63-Year-Old Cleric For Life For Sexually Assaulting Minor

Justice Raehman Oshodi of the Lagos State Special Offences court in Ikeja on Thursday convicted and sentenced 63-year-old cleric, Chris Douglas to life imprisonment for sexually abusing a teenage girl and inflicting significant psychological harm on her.

Justice Oshodi held in his judgment that Douglas, who is the pastor in charge of Peculiar Generation Assembly Church in Lagos and seen as a “spiritual father,” used his position of authority to exploit the victim, who was 17 at the time.

The judge found that the abuse took place in a religious setting, where the victim and her family depended on Douglas for guidance and support.

He further held that instead of providing help, he repeatedly violated her trust. Evidence during the trial showed the trauma caused, with the victim suffering depression and suicidal thoughts.

“The victim’s mother confronted Douglas at his church after discovering the abuse, but he denied the allegations and tried to blame others, a defence the court dismissed,” the judge stated.

The judge emphasised that since the victim was a minor, the relationship could not have been consensual.

The court also reviewed testimonial, medical, and electronic evidence, with some documents from the prosecution being deemed improperly admitted and discarded.

The expert testimony from Dr. Afada was considered valid and credible, even with some flawed supporting documents.

The defence challenged the admissibility of electronic evidence under the Evidence Act, but the court upheld its validity, citing proper certification.

The court noted that although allegations of abuse at the church before January 2018 were not substantiated, credible evidence supported claims of abuse at a family home and a hotel between September and December 2017.

During her testimony, the survivor recounted being drugged and raped in September 2017, with her mother witnessing her distress.

She also claimed that other abuse incidents that occurred in October, November, and December 2017 at the same locations were proven through circumstantial evidence and witness testimonies.

In his defence, the convict denied any sexual activity before 2019, but his statements conflicted with earlier admissions and evidence, including an apology he gave during a church meeting, which the court considered corroborative.