LAGOS JANUARY 23RD (URHOBOTODAY)-Senior Pastor and Founder of Victory Revival Fasting & Prayer Ministry with headquarters in Warri, Bishop Elijah Orhonigbe, who was alleged to have drugged and raped a girl, Miracle Omalor, has been discharged and acquitted.

He was discharged and acquitted on November 22, 2022, for want of evidence by Hon. Justice Anthony Akpovi of the Warri High Court 2, in suit No W/ 25SB/2020 between the State and Bishop Orhonigbe.

Recall that Bishop Orhonigbe was arrested in 2020 by operatives of the Delta State Police Command following an accusation of alleged rape by 19-year-old Omalor and was remanded by the order of a Magistrate Court.

Justice Akpovi of the High Court sitting in Warri later granted the cleric bail, ordering the cleric to provide two sureties, who each paid N1m as part of the requirements for his bail.

The police later slammed the bishop with an additional charge of alleged administering of substance, and impersonation.

Hon. Justice Akpovi of the Warri High Court, where the case was tried, however, quashed the case and discharged the bishop for want of proof from the Nigeria Police, Delta State Police Command, who arrested and charged him to court after much media trial.

Speaking on the judgement, one of the counsels to the discharged bishop, Mr Olukoya Ayodele, averred that the whole episode was a set up by enemies of the cleric in connivance with some elements in the Nigeria Police.

“The police in the court said they didn’t have money to carry out a forensic test on the rape victim’s blood and urine to ascertain that she was drugged.

“On alleged impersonation, the police also claimed that they could not raise money to do an investigation in Lagos because they had brought some receipts alleging that the bishop went to Lagos using the name Barrister Elijah Orhonigbe.

“The court after seeing through all the evidence, the judge found that the man of God did not commit any of the three offences. Two of the counts would have sent him to life imprisonment. Administering stupified substance and rape attack life improvement.

Tribune