Court sends Abuja pastor back to prison after re-arraignment for alleged child rape

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Gwarinpa, Abuja, on Thursday ordered a fresh remand of an Abuja-based pastor over charges of raping a 14-year-old girl.

Trial judge Modupe Osho-Adebiyi ordered the remand of the 39-year-old founder and General Overseer of Prophetic Voice of Fire Ministry International, Gwagwalada, Abuja, Amos Isah, in a correctional facility pending the verification of his prior bail.

According to the judge, Mr Isah’s legal team must now present documentation of the bail previously granted to him by the FCT High Court in Maitama, Abuja.

The judge gave the order after Mr Isah, who was released from an initial remand in August last year, pleaded not guilty again to eight counts of child rape and related offences, including child abduction, sexual exploitation and abuse.

In June 2025, the police arrested Mr Isah, then, arraigned him on right charges on 22 July 2025 before the FCT High Court in Abuja.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges of rape, abduction of a child, indecency and violence.

The case went dormant after the arraignment.

On 11 March, the case was reassigned from the FCT High Court in Maitama to a new trial judge, Modupe Osho-Adebiyi, in the Gwarinpa division of the court, following an application from the prosecution lawyer, Aderonke Imana.

On 21 April, the matter came up before Ms Osho-Adebiyi. However, the defendant did not appear in court.

The judge fixed today (Thursday) for the re-arraignment of Mr Isah.

After Mr Isah entered his plea, defence lawyer, O.U Sule, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), informed the court of the bail previously granted.

However, the judge noted that the record of the bail and sureties was not before the court.

“His record of surety is not before the court; if I tell him to go, who am I releasing him to go?” The judge asked Mr Sule.

He persisted in his request that the defendant be released on his honour, but the judge declined.

“Until I get the record, there is really not much I can do. You have not applied for bail before me,” the judge said.

Mr Sule then asked for an oral bail application, but Ms Imana, the prosecution lawyer , opposed the request, while informing the court of other proceedings at another court.

“I am opposed to the oral application, I am before another court,” she said.

The judge noted that the sureties guaranteeing the previous bail were not in court and their documents were not before the court.

The judge then said, “The defendant is hereby remanded to the correctional centre pending bail.”

She asked Mr Isah’s lawyer to inform the court registrar when the team is ready with the necessary documents.

The court adjourned proceedings until 30 June to commence the trial.

Background

In August 2025, PREMIUM TIMES reported how the pastor resumed ministrations after securing bail for his release from custody on health grounds.

Mr Isah shared the video clip on social media showing him leading an ecstatic congregation.

The video was shared after the former trial judge, Enobie Obanor, granted him bail based on his claim of suffering from “pulmonary tuberculosis,” which he claimed “has progressively deteriorated into a severe form of obstructive airway disease.”

Mr Isah stated that he contracted the ailment during his detention.

Victims alleged ordeal

On 18 June 2025, the police arrested the cleric for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl, who is a member of the media unit of his church.

In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES at a hospital where she went to see a doctor regarding post-assault conditions on 30 June last year, the teenager, whose name is withheld over stigmatisation concerns and her underage status, said she was raped on 26 May 2025 but kept mum out of fear.

She said Mr Isah had invited her to his office, where the incident allegedly took place.

She recounted her experience to her friend, who encouraged her to disclose the matter to her parents.

After telling her parents, her father reported the issue to the police.

She said she started experiencing abdominal pain and bleeding a few weeks after the alleged ordeal.

Thereafter, the police arrested Mr Isah.

Mr Isah’s case highlights the intractable problem of prolonged rape trials.

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Offenders are rarely brought to justice. When such cases succeed, it is only after extended trials.

In many instances, prosecution fatigue leads to the abandonment of cases or the failure to present witnesses and evidence in court, resulting in the acquittal of offenders.

This disturbing trend reflects the vulnerability of children in Nigeria despite the existence of the Child Rights Act. In October 2025, the Nigerian Senate passed amendments to the Criminal Code Act, prescribing life imprisonment for anyone convicted of defiling a minor, and removed the option of fines.

It is expected that with the reassignment of the case, progress will be made, bringing resolution to the parties involved.

Details of charges

Mr Isah faces eight charges of rape and attendant illegal actions, including sexual exploitation, coercion detrimental to psychological well-being, emotional, verbal and psychological abuse and abduction of a minor.

The charges were brought under the Child’s Rights Act and thrViolence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015.

Below are the full details of the charges preferred against Mr Isah.

COUNT ONE

That you APOSTLE AMOS ISAH (39 years) Male of Behind Federal Road Safety Gwagwalada Abuja on or about 26th May, 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did an illegal act to wit; commit rape when you lured one B Z J (14 years old) female of Plot Gwagwalada Abuja into your office at Prophet Victory Voice Fire Ministry International Church Gwagwalada Abuja and you forcefully had Sexual Intercourse with her without her consent and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 31 (1) of the Child’s Rights Act 2003 and punishable under Section 31 (2) of the same law.

COUNT TWO

That you APOSTLE AMOS ISAH (39 years) Male of Behind Federal Road Safety Gwag Abuja on or about 26th May, 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Cour illegal act to wit; sexually exploited B Z J (14 years old ) female of Gwagwalada when you lured her into your office at Prophet Victory Voice Fire Ministry Int Church Gwagwalada Abuja and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 32(2) of Child Right Act 2003.

COUNT THREE

That you APOSTLE AMOS ISAH (39 years), Male of Behind Federal Road Safety, Gwagwalada, Abuja, on or about 26th May, 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did an illegal egal act to wit; Coerced B Z 1(14 years old ) female of Gwagwalada, Abula into your office at Prophet Victory Voice Fire Ministry International Church, Gwagwalada, Abuja, to engage in an act detrimental to her physical and psychological well-being, and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 3 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015.

COUNT FOUR

That you APOSTLE AMOS ISAH (39 years) Male of Behind Federal Road Safety Gwagwalada Abuja on or about 26th May 2025 within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did an illegal act to wit; by wilfully placing B Z J (14 years old ) female of Gwagwalada Abuja in fear of physical injury when you lured her into your office at Prophet Victory Voice Fire Ministry International Church Gwagwalada Abuja and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 4 of Violence Against Persons(Prohibition)Act 2015.

COUNT FIVE

That you APOSTLE AMOS ISAH (39 years) Male of Behind Federal Road Safety Gwagwalada Abuja on or about 26th May, 2025 within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did an illegal act to wit; when you emotionally, verbally and psychologically abused B Z J (14 years old ) female of Gwagwalada Abuja when you lured her into your office at the Prophet Victory Voice Fire Ministry International Church Gwagwalada Abuja and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14 (2) of Violence Against Persons(Prohibition)Act 2015.

COUNT SIX

That you APOSTLE AMOS ISAH (39 years) Male of Behind Federal Road Safety Gwagwalada Abuja on or about 26th May, 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did an illegal act to wit; you committed an act of gross indecency without her consent when you lured BZJ(14years old ) female of Gwagwalada Abuja into your office at Prophet Victory Voice Fire Ministry International Church Gwagwalada Abuja and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 285 of Penal code laws.

COUNT SEVEN

That you APOSTLE AMOS ISAM (39 years) Male of Behind federal Road Safety Gwagwalada Abuja on or about 26th May 2025 within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did an illegal act to wit: exploited B Z J (14 years old ) female of Gwagwalada Abuja when you lured her into your office at Prophet Victory Voice Fire Ministry International Church and to engage in acts prejudicial to her welfare and you thereby committed an offence punishable under, Section 33(2) of Child Right Act 2003.

COUNT EIGHT

That you APOSTLE AMOS ISAH (39 years) Male of Behind Federal Road Safety Gwagwalada Abuja on or about 26th May 2025 within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did an illegal act to wit; you abducted a minor named B Z J (14 years old ) female of Gwagwalada Abuja when you lured her into your office at Prophet Victory Voice Fire Ministry International Church Gwagwalada Abuja to engage in sexual act prejudicial to her welfare and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 273 of Penal Code law.