NIGERIA (Imo)- The General Overseer and head of a popular Pentecostal church in Ikeduru council area of Imo State, has been arrested for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl.

He was arrested following a petition written to the Owerri Police Area Command on behalf of the father of the victim by his lawyer, Mr Emperor Iwuala.

According to the petition, the father of the victim accused the pastor of having unlawful canal knowledge of his daughter several times between 2010 and 2013.

“Between 2010 and 2013, I was sick and a friend of mine introduced me to the prophet. Because of my sickness, I lost my job as a luxury bus driver and also my accommodation in Naze Owerri.

“Consequently, the prophet offered me accommodation in his house which he also uses as church. I moved in with my two little daughters. Because of my condition then, I did not know that the prophet was taking advantage of my predicament to defile one of my daughters.

“One of the days, his wife caught him trying to abuse my daughter and she raised the alarm, which made the husband to send her packing.

“Because of that, I sent my children away but the prophet threatened me, saying that I must bring my children back to the church. It was when my daughters went out of the prophet’s custody that they could narrate their ordeal to me.

“Ironically, the prophet went to the police recently to report that I arranged to kidnap my daughters from his house.”

Iwuala also disclosed that the said prophet was currently under investigation by the police for buying an alleged stolen vehicle.