Court Remands Abuja Pastor Again After Re-Arraignment Over Alleged Rape Of 14-Year-Old Church Member

Abuja, Nigeria– An Abuja-based pastor, Apostle Amos Isah, has been remanded in prison custody again after he was re-arraigned before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Gwarinpa over the alleged rape of a 14-year-old girl.

The trial judge, Justice Modupe Osho-Adebiyi, on Thursday ordered that the 39-year-old founder and General Overseer of Prophetic Voice of Fire Ministry International, Gwagwalada, Abuja, be returned to a correctional facility pending the verification of an earlier bail granted to him by another court.

The judge held that the defendant’s legal team must produce the records and documentation relating to the bail earlier granted by the FCT High Court in Maitama, Abuja.

Apostle Isah was re-arraigned on an eight-count charge bordering on alleged rape, child abduction, sexual exploitation, emotional and psychological abuse, coercion, and gross indecency involving a 14-year-old girl said to be a member of the media unit of his church.

After the charges were read to him in court, the cleric pleaded not guilty to all counts.

The case, which had earlier stalled after the initial arraignment, was reassigned on March 11 from the Maitama Division of the FCT High Court to Justice Osho-Adebiyi in the Gwarinpa Division following an application by the prosecution counsel, Aderonke Imana.

The matter first came up before the new judge on April 21, but the defendant was absent in court.

At Thursday’s proceedings, defence counsel, O.U. Sule, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), informed the court that the defendant had earlier been granted bail by the previous trial judge.

However, Justice Osho-Adebiyi said the court could not act on the claim because the official records relating to the earlier bail and the sureties were not before her.

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

Mr Sule urged the court to release the cleric on self-recognition pending the production of the bail documents, but the judge declined the request.

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

The defence lawyer subsequently made an oral application for bail, but the prosecution counsel opposed the application.

“I am opposed to the oral application, I am before another court,” the prosecuting lawyer, Ms Imana, told the court.

The judge further noted that none of the sureties who allegedly guaranteed the previous bail was present in court and that their documents had also not been presented before the court.

“The defendant is hereby remanded to the correctional centre pending bail,” the judge ruled.

Justice Osho-Adebiyi directed the defence team to notify the court registrar once the necessary bail documents were ready for verification.

The court subsequently adjourned the matter until June 30 for the commencement of trial.

According to court documents, the police arrested Apostle Isah on June 18, 2025, following allegations that he raped the teenage girl inside his office located within the church premises in Gwagwalada, Abuja.

The prosecution alleged that the incident occurred on May 26, 2025, after the cleric allegedly lured the girl into his office and forcefully had sexual intercourse with her without her consent.

The charges filed against him were brought under the Child Rights Act 2003, the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015, and the Penal Code.

The prosecution accused the pastor of rape, sexual exploitation of a child, coercion detrimental to the victim’s physical and psychological wellbeing, emotional and psychological abuse, gross indecency, and abduction of a minor.

One of the charges stated: “That you APOSTLE AMOS ISAH (39 years) Male of Behind Federal Road Safety Gwagwalada Abuja on or about 26th May, 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did an illegal act to wit; commit rape when you lured one B Z J (14 years old) female of Plot Gwagwalada Abuja into your office at Prophet Victory Voice Fire Ministry International Church Gwagwalada Abuja and you forcefully had Sexual Intercourse with her without her consent.”

Another count accused the cleric of sexually exploiting the teenager after allegedly luring her into his office at the church.

The prosecution further alleged that the cleric emotionally, verbally and psychologically abused the minor and placed her in fear of physical injury.

In another count, the prosecution accused him of abducting the 14-year-old girl “to engage in sexual act prejudicial to her welfare.”

The teenage victim had earlier narrated her alleged ordeal during an interview conducted at a hospital where she reportedly went for medical attention over complications she allegedly suffered after the incident.

The girl, whose identity was withheld because she is a minor, said the incident allegedly happened on May 26, 2025, but she initially remained silent out of fear.

According to her, the pastor invited her into his office where the alleged assault occurred.

She later confided in a friend, who encouraged her to disclose the matter to her parents.

After informing her parents, her father reportedly lodged a complaint with the police.

The teenager also alleged that she began experiencing abdominal pain and bleeding weeks after the incident.

Her allegations eventually led to the arrest of the pastor by the police.