By Demola Atobaba, Ado-Ekiti
The minister-in-charge of the First Baptist Church (Miracle Cathedral), Okeyinmi Street in Ado-Ekiti, Rev. Dr. Olukayode Olujide Ayinde has said that he was not the person arraigned before an Ekiti State Magistrate’s Court for the alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl.
The cleric said, he had been inundated with calls and visits from both Church members, friends and relatives since the news of the arraignment broke out on Thursday last, said it was a matter of coincidence of names, pointing out that the cleric, with the names Dr Olukayode Samuel Ayinde, remanded for the alleged rape was another person who belonged to another church.
Dr Ayinde, who spoke newsmen at a press briefing in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital said the clarification became necessary to prevent his hard earned reputation from being tarnished for offence he did not commit.
The cleric also cautioned those attempting to tarnish his name by linking him with the incident to desist, threatening to seek redress in court.
He said, “I have been receiving calls from Baptists and members of the public on why the purveyors of the news cleverly linked me with the accused person.”
According to the charge, the defendant, one Rev. Ayinde was allegedly charged “for offence reasonably suspected to be rape of a 12-year old girl sometime in August, 2020”.
But the Baptist pastor said, “I wish to categorically state that after much finding, the said Olukayode Samuel Ayinde, remanded at the correctional service for rape is of another church and therefore has nothing to do with me or the church I preside over.”