A pastor who combines occult activities with his so-called ministry bags 49 years imprisonment for raping and impregnating his 16-year-old teenage daughter
By Chinedu Oguh, Port Harcourt
An Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo and presided over by Justice Bassey Nkanang has sentenced Apostle Williams Okon Bassey to 49 years imprisonment for impregnating his 16- year-old daughter.
Tentacle learnt that Bassey who is the General Overseer (GO) of Mount Zion Light House Church and lived with his daughter at his pastoral duty post in Ikono Local Government Area of the state, committed the crime at different times and sent the daughter to his wife who lives outside the church premises in Eket Local Government Area.
He was arrested at his residence on Ibanga Street with the police parading him alongside four other men, Nsikan Udo, Iniobong Moses, Savior Ukpong and Festus Etukudoh, who were also arrested for rape and incest.
The victim revealed that her father started having sexual intercourse with her at the age of 13. The continuous sexual assault resulted in pregnancy on three different occasions and the pregnancies were aborted by her mother.
She added that her father always demand sex from her before paying her school fees or meeting her needs. Bassey confessed to the crime but claimed the assault started when his daughter was 16.
According to the judge, investigations revealed that each time the convict impregnated his daughter, he would send the girl to her mother and inform her that the daughter was pregnant before the mother would terminate the pregnancy and send the girl back to meet her father at his station. Nkanang said on the third instance, the mother raised an alarm, interrogating the daughter to find out who was responsible for the pregnancy and the girl named her father.
Bassey, while admitting to the crime told the court how he lured the girl into having intercourse, which resulted in the pregnancy.
“I usually call my daughter to come and scratch my back and as she scratches my back I felt like sleeping, my daughter climbed on top of me and I fuck her. That was my first time of sleeping with my daughter and she was about 16 years old then.
“I took her to the mother’s place in Eket, after telling her that our daughter was pregnant, I handed her over to the mother who promised to get rid of the pregnancy. After the pregnancy was terminated, I continued having sex with her each time I had a misunderstanding with my wife.
She became pregnant the second time. I still returned her to the mother who shall took her, to abort the pregnancy when she returned the second time, I continue the act of sexing her, which resulted in the third pregnancy and the mother still took her for an abortion,” the convicted man of God confessed.
Delivering judgment, Justice Nkanang sentenced the pastor to 49 years imprisonment.
“In consideration of the above analysis therefore, the only issue for determination in this case is hereby resolved in favour of the prosecution, and it is the holding of this court that the allegations of rape and incest have been proven beyond a reasonable doubt and their evident established the elements of rape alongside incest.
The court consequently convicted Bassey in all counts in respect of rape and incest. “The clear consequence of this, therefore, is that the defendant, Apostle Okon William Bassey is hereby found guilty of rape and incest, punishable respectively under section 367 and 342 (1) of the Criminal Code cap 38, volume 2, laws of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria 2000 and he is convicted accordingly.
Upon hearing the sentence, Bassey lost consciousness briefly in the court room, underscoring the gravity of the judgment. The presiding judge emphasized that the sentence was necessary to serve as a deterrent to others and to protect children from similar exploitation.
Community members and child protecting advocates expressed relief at the outcome of the trial, calling for continued vigilance in safeguarding minors from abuse in their homes. They urged authorities to strengthen preventative measures and ensure that perpetrators are swiftly brought to justice.
The prosecuting counsel from the state Ministry of Justice, Ofonime Idio described the judgment as a strong statement against sexual abuse and victory for justice in the state. The sentencing of Bassey he further said, serves as a stern reminder that the authorities are committed to holding offenders accountable for their actions.
The incident underscores the urgent need for effective enforcement of Child Right Act and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act to safeguard vulnerable children in the country.
