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	Pastor Defiles Wife’s 13-year-old Sister By Chris Ejim Compass June 4, 2010 http://www.compassnewspaper.com/NG/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52511:pastor-defiles-wifes-13-year-old-sister-&catid=672:top-stories&Itemid=794 Family members of a thirteen year old girl (names withheld) residing in Yenagoa are fuming over an alleged sexual abuse of their daughter by a minister of the Apostolic Faith Church. Siblings of the child have since vowed to teach the randy pastor a lesson that would serve as a deterrent to others of his kind who use their privileged position on the pulpit to abuse public trust. Nigerian Compass on Saturday gathered that the sexual liaison between the girl and the pastor started when the cleric, Mr. Trybest Atonye, who is in charge of a local church in Agbura, Yenagoa collected the girl in question from an uncle with whom she was living with to assist his wife that had put to bed. Instead of acting in a manner that befits his status, Atonye, 33, was reported to have subjected the youngster who incidentally is a younger sister to wife to rounds of sexual bouts. The cat was however let out of the bag when a young female relative of the same age with the girl, also living with the girl discovered and blew the whistle on their illicit relationship. Sources said the girl was consequently taken away by enraged relatives. Upon prodding, the teenager confessed that the act had been ongoing for about eight months before the discovery. According to her, Trybest has had intercourse with her on no lesser than twenty occasions. Mr. Micah Alfred, father of the thirteen year old girl was reported to have taken her to a hospital; however examination by a doctor indicated that the girl had not been made pregnant by the series of sexual encounter with the randy pastor. Other relatives of the girl have also not taken the matter lightly. Mr. B. Y Ogon, uncle of the girl and an Elder of the Apostolic Church in Yenagoa, has petitioned the church in respect of the matter. In a letter to the church’s regional leadership at Bodo City, Rivers State, Ogon urged it to pass stiff sanctions on the offending cleric, even as he also wants the church come down heavily on the cases of immorality that appears to have taken hold the Apostolic Assembly in Bayelsa. In a chat, Ogon expressed disappointment over the abuse of trust by the minister whom he said had come to collect the girl from his house and rues her exposure to stigma and psychological trauma. “This is a man who carries the bible on Sundays. He asked me for assistance and this is how he pays me”, he said. Atonye was consequently invited by the leadership of his church in Yenagoa to a panel set up to investigate the charges against him. But when presented with the allegations, he surprisingly refused to defend himself. This, however, did not stop the church from handing out a suspension. Ogon, who is spokesperson for the girl’s family, feels the suspension was too light if the church was desirous of curbing the carnality and financial irresponsibility which appears to have taken root in the several pastorates across Bayelsa State. However, he is still reluctant to notify the police as his church does not encourage it. Despite this, he simply wants Atonye make apologies to his family and pay damages for defilement. The cautious approach to the matter by Ogon’s family may be hinged on the fact that the elder sister of the girl in question is still married to the pastor and the family may not want to rock their marriage of two years. In all this, Trybest’s wife appears to believe in her husband’s innocence even when she was told that her husband has slapped her sister and had sex with her in the same room while she was sleeping. She believes her hubby had been set up by envious relatives. Atonye has also refused to make comment, arguing that he had already been adjudged guilty by all who had heard the matter. “They wrote a petition against me, I was not served. I ought to have seen the allegations before appearing at the panel. I leave it to God to prove my innocence”, he said.
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