The Kwara State High Court, sitting in Ilorin, yesterday convicted the General Overseer of Mission House of Divine Land of Joy and Prayer Ministry, Prophet Ajiboye Abayomi Olayinka, to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of raping three underage members of his congregation inside the church premises. According to the ruling, the life imprisonment penalty was slammed for three different offences bordering on illegal sexual intercourse with 13-year-old minors.
The offences, according to the court, were committed inside the church’s mission house located in the Agah area of Ganmo, where he served as a spiritual leader.
Prophet Ajiboye Abayomi Olayinka has been handed an additional 14-year prison sentence for illegally terminating pregnancies allegedly resulting from the sexual abuse of his underage victims, while also threatening them to remain silent.
Delivering judgement, Justice Hammed Aliyu Gegele said the cleric abused the trust placed in him as a religious leader, using his position to sexually exploit the victims and subject them to severe physical and emotional trauma.
The judge recounted the testimony of one of the survivors, who told the court that Olayinka allegedly took her to a generator house where he forcibly had sex with her, using anointing oil as lubricant. She also alleged that he repeatedly woke her after night vigils for further sexual assaults.
The defendant was arraigned on an eight-count charge involving criminal conspiracy, unlawful sexual intercourse with minors, illegal abortion, and unlawful possession of firearms.
The charges were filed under Sections 97, 235, and 283 of the Penal Code, Section 3(1) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, 2004, and Section 31(2) of the Kwara State Child Rights Law, 2006.
During the trial, the prosecution presented 12 witnesses and submitted several exhibits in support of its case.
In their testimonies, the victims alleged that the cleric applied anointing oil to their private parts in what they described as a ritual-like act before sexually assaulting them on the church premises.
They further claimed he forced them to swear on a Bible and threatened them with death if they disclosed the abuse.
On February 11, 2026, the prosecution team, led by Chief State Counsel Issa Zakari, cross-examined the defendant
After the defence closed its case, both parties submitted and adopted their final written addresses, prompting the court to adjourn proceedings for judgment.
Delivering judgement on Wednesday, Justice Hammed Aliyu Gegele ruled that the prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt the charges of unlawful sexual intercourse with minors, rape, and illegal abortion against the defendant. However, the court held that the allegation of bigamy was not sufficiently established and cleared him of that charge.
Justice Gegele, while delivering the verdict, condemned the convict’s actions, describing him as “a pedophile and philanderer whose conduct should be deprecated by all and sundry in society.”
The court also ordered that the pump-action gun recovered from the convict be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.