Oluwafeyiropo Daniel, the founder of I Reign Christian Ministry, concluded his defense on Friday in a trial involving alleged rape.
He faces charges in the Ikeja Sexual Offenses and Domestic Violence Court, accused of sexually assaulting two women, one of whom is an assistant pastor, and the other a member of his church.
8t is alleged that he engaged in non-consensual sexual acts with these women at his residence in Lagos.
However, he vehemently denies these allegations and has, from the start of his defense on Tuesday, asserted that the alleged victims conspired against him.
During cross-examination by state counsel Babajide Boye on Friday, the defendant reiterated that the women conspired against him.
He also denied giving N100,000 to one of them for medical treatment.
Mr Boye asked him if his position as a pastor and someone whom people approached for counselling made him manipulate people.
The defendant said: “I am not a manipulator. Three ladies turned against me but one of them later apologised to me.
“I am not a powerful man but I am a pastor, and I do not use power to counsel people.
“You get trained to counsel and you use wisdom and the leading of the spirit.”
The defendant also denied tampering with WhatsApp messages between him and one of the alleged survivors.
Defence counsel Olukunle Oyewole thereafter informed the court that the defendant would be closing his case.
Justice Rahman Oshodi admitted some extrajudicial statements from the defence counsel in evidence and marked them Exhibits E1 to E7.
Oshodi adjourned the case until December 20 for adoption of final written address by defence and prosecution counsel.
