Abuja: 39-year-old pastor remanded over rape of minor

An FCT High Court in Gwarinpa, Abuja, has ordered the fresh remand of Pastor Amos Isah, the 39-year-old founder of Prophetic Victory Voice of Fire Ministry International over the alleged rape of a 14-year-old minor who serves in his church’s media unit.

Presiding Judge Modupe Osho-Adebiyi ordered the cleric to be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the submission of records relating to an earlier bail granted to him.

The order followed the resumption of the trial on Thursday.

Isah, whose church is located in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, pleaded not guilty to an eight-count charge bordering on alleged rape, sexual exploitation, coercion, emotional and psychological abuse, gross indecency and abduction of a minor.

According to the prosecution, the teenager, identified as B.Z.J., was allegedly lured into the church’s newly constructed auditorium on May 26, 2025.

The charge sheet marked FCT/HC/CR/467/2024 alleged that the cleric locked the doors and forcefully had sexual intercourse with the minor without her consent.

The prosecution said that the offence contravened the provisions of Sections 3, 4 and 14 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 201.

Isah was arrested by the police in June 2025 and was arraigned on July 22, 2025, before a vacation judge, Justice J.E. Obanor, in a high court in Maitama.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The case was then reassigned to Justice Osho-Adebiyi on March 11, following an application from the prosecution counsel, Aderonke Imana.

On April 21, the matter came up before Justice Osho-Adebiyi; however, the defendant did not appear in court.

Earlier, the defence counsel, O.U. Sule, SAN, informed the court that his client had been granted bail by a sister court.

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Justice Osho-Adebiyi noted that the record of the bail and sureties was not before the court.

“His record of surety is not before the court; if I tell him to go, who am I releasing him to?” the judge asked.

Sule persisted in his request that the defendant be released on his honour, but the judge declined.

“Until I get the record, there is really not much I can do. You have not applied for bail before me.”

Sule then asked for an oral bail application, but the prosecution (Imana) informed the court that she has another matter at another court.

“I am opposed to the oral application; I am before another court,” she said.

Justice Osho-Adebiyi noted further that the sureties were not in court and their documents were not before the court.

“The defendant is hereby remanded to the correctional centre pending his bail determination.”

The court, therefore, directed the defendant’s counsel (Sule) to inform the registrar when they will be ready with the necessary documents.

Justice Osho-Adebiyi then adjourned until June 30 for commencement of trial.

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