37-year-old pastor, Kayode Salami, has been arrested by the police for allegedly raping and killing a nursing mother, Adejoke Oloje, inside his church in Ondo State.
It was gathered that the deceased came to the Oke-Irapada C&S Church, with her cousin, one Aderonke to worship for the first time and stayed in the church with her 11-month-old baby in January of this year, where she met her untimely death.
Speaking with the state-owned newspaper, The Hope Metro, the mother of the deceased, Mrs. Deborah said Adejoke came to her in Idanre for a visit and suddenly left the house without any notice.
“I called her line to ask about her whereabouts, but she didn’t pick her calls. So, one day, some people told me they saw her in Alade with her cousin, Aderonke. I collected Aderonke’s phone number from their grandmother and I called her, but she said Adejoke was staying in the church, not her place,” she narrated.
“I called my daughter’s phone number and she picked it. I asked for a description of where she was staying and she obliged me. I went to the church and eventually found her. She complained about foodstuffs and I promise
d to bring some for her the following day. I also pleaded with her to leave the place, but she declined and I left.
“The next day, when I got to the church around past 5pm, I heard her child crying profusely. So, I moved close to see what happened. I met the door closed. So, I forced it open. To my utmost dismay, I found my daughter on the floor, with her pant already removed down her legs and I shouted for help.”
The victim’s mother said they immediately took her to the hospital where she was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty.
She said the case was immediately reported at the police station in Idanre and the policemen swung into action to apprehend the pastor.
“When the pastor was arrested, we noticed that his trouser was torn under and he wasn’t wearing any underwear. It is a painful story and a sad moment for our family. She was with an 11-month-old child before she met her untimely death. The culprit must not go unpunished,” she pleaded.
On his part, Pastor Salami denied raping and killing the woman.
“I knew Adejoke through her sister, Aderonke. They came to my church to worship and they went home. After that day, Adejoke came back on her own to seek accommodation in the church, pending when she would get a place to stay,” he said.
“I gave her one room out of the two rooms in the church. I did not ask her what happened between her and her sister, Aderonke. I gave her Cam Gas we use in the church to cook.
“There is only one door linking my room and the room given to her to stay. So, I used to pass through her room. And I always inform her whenever I was going out or coming in.
“We did vigil together in the church and the next morning, I saw her before going to work, because I am a welder. She later came to my place of work to charge her phone around 2pm and came to collect it around 4 pm.
“I make use of the room when I have programmes in the church. My family and I rented an apartment outside. I did not rape her and I can’t explain how she died.”
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
