Pastor Sentenced to 21 Years for Impregnating 12-Year-Old He Defiled with N1,500

A trusted neighbour and pastor, Oluwole Jonathan of Christ Apostolic Church, Land of Mercy in Atan, Ogun State, has been sentenced to 21 years in prison for defiling and impregnating a 12-year-old girl, a crime that began with a N1,500 textbook levy.

The victim, Blessing (pseudonym), was a Primary Six pupil sent home from school in 2022 for the unpaid fee. With her parents away at work, Pastor Jonathan invited her to his apartment to rest.

‘He forced me to take it, I woke up and saw blood’

In a quiet voice, Blessing recounted the ordeal. “He asked what was wrong with me, and I told him I had a headache. He told me to go inside his house… he went inside and brought medicine… he forced me to take it. After I drank it, I slept off.”

“When I woke up, I saw blood in my private part,” she said, her voice cracking. “He told me not to tell anybody. He said if I told anyone, I would die.”

A Hidden Pregnancy and a Family Shattered

Blessing carried the secret for months until a neighbour raised concerns about her health. Her mother, who initially thought it was a fever, was devastated.

“When we took her to the hospital, the doctor’s verdict came like a dagger to my heart when he announced she was five months pregnant!” the mother recalled. “I was tagged a bad mother.”

The family’s trust was shattered, as the pastor was a spiritual mentor and his wife was a close friend. The victim’s father reported the crime, leading to Jonathan’s arrest.

The Long Road to Justice

Despite initial denials, a DNA test confirmed Pastor Jonathan was the father of the child, leading to his confession. The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) in Ogun State took up the case pro bono.

In January 2025, the High Court in Ilaro found Oluwole Jonathan guilty of defilement and sentenced him to 21 years imprisonment.

A Lingering Ache

The justice served has not erased the trauma. The family was forced to relocate from Atan to Ifo due to stigma and the victim’s strange behavioural patterns.

Attempts to reintegrate Blessing into school failed. “She often heard a voice telling her to leave school,” her parents explained. Fearing for her safety, they withdrew her from school and enrolled her in a nearby tailoring workshop where she can be closely watched.

The case highlights the devastating and long-lasting impact of such crimes, even as the new life sentence for defilement proposed by the Senate offers a ray of hope for stronger deterrence.