A pastor in Owerri, Imo State, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for raping a church member’s wife. Apostle Desmond Eke, the founder of Deliverance Ministry of The Good Shepherd, was convicted on July 31, 2024.

The court found Eke guilty after the prosecution proved beyond a reasonable doubt that he raped a 25-year-old mother of four. He claimed he needed to perform this act to free her from a supposed marine spirit threatening her family. Eke used a substance he called holy water to drug the victim, making her unconscious during the assault. He falsely assured her that his semen would rid her of the spirit.

Despite his defense’s plea for probation, the judge sentenced Eke for breach of trust and rape but acquitted him on a charge related to physical injury since the victim was not fully conscious and did not resist.

This case, reported by the Onurube Foundation, marks the first successful conviction under the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act of Imo State. The verdict is seen as a significant step in holding offenders accountable and deterring similar crimes.