Prophet Anwana Peter Essien, the pastor of Restoration Bible Church in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has been given a 21-year prison term for defiling his 10-year-old stepdaughter.
When the victim’s mother took her and her younger sister on vacation to their stepfather’s home on Aug. 9, 2019, the randy Prophet, who is a native of Afaha Ise in the Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area had reportedly defiled his victim, a JSS 1 student.
In his confessional testimony, the convict acknowledged committing the act, claiming that the “devil pushed him at midnight to forcefully have a carnal knowledge of his stepdaughter.”
Justice Okon Okon, the presiding judge, who condemned the act in his ruling, stated that the confession was clear and unambiguous that the defendant was the one who committed the crime.
He said the evidence of prosecution witnesses such as the medical report and the confessional statement had proven beyond every reasonable doubt that the convict was guilty of the crime.
While committing him to prison for 21 years, justice Okon said it was with effect from the time the convict was taken into custody in the Uyo Custodial Centre.
