COZA Pastor Fatoyinbo snubs probe panel over rape allegation

Rape saga: Fatoyinbo snubbed probe panel - PFN — Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, on Thursday said the embattled Senior Pastor of the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly, COZA, Biodun Fatoyinbo refused to appear before its panel investigating the rape allegation against him.

Busola Dakolo had accused Fatoyinbo of raping her 20 years ago in Ilorin, Kwara State when she was still 16 years old.

The PFN said because he refused to appear before the panel, the probe had been declared inconclusive.

According to PFN National Publicity Secretary, Bishop Emma Isong, who spoke with newsmen in Lagos on Thursday, Busola and her husband, Timi Dakolo appeared before the panel while Fatoyinbo did not.

Recall that wife of sensational soul singer Timi Dakolo, made a shocking revelation in a detailed interview with Chude Jideonwo, a lawyer and journalist on YNaija channel of how the Abuja-based cleric raped her as a teenager.

The viral video report has set social media and other online platforms on fire, evoking shock, backlash and criticism from Nigerians, especially the Christian community.

However, in his reaction, the embattled preacher posted a statement on his IG page @biodunfatoyinbo denying the allegation, adding that he had never rape a woman all his life.

In the statement addressed from the ‘Office of the Senior Pastor’, Fatoyinbo described the allegation as false and baseless claim targeted at destroying his reputation and that of his church.

“I have never in my life raped anybody even as an unbeliever and I am absolutely innocent of this”, the statement reads in part.

In 2013, the clergy popularly called “Gucci Pastor”, because of his flamboyant fashion style, was also entangled in an allegation of infidelity with one Ese Walter, a former member of the church.

NAN