Pastor Tortures Boy With Pressing Iron

An Ikorodu-based prophet, Afolabi Awoteju, on Christmas day inflicted serious injuries on his cousin, Ezekiel Shopitan, with an electric pressing iron, over missing N200.

While other families were busy celebrating the yuletide, 40-year-old Prophet Awoteju was busy torturing the body of the 13-year-old JSS II student of Ewu-Elepe Community High School, Ikorodu, with a red hot pressing iron.

Narrating his ordeal to P.M.NEWS, Ezekiel said he helped his uncle to sell a N200 recharge card, but unfortunately, he misplaced the money. When the wife reported him to his uncle, he was very furious and pounced on him.

“Turning deaf ears to my screaming and pleas for mercy, he first used an electric cable to whip me, then he plugged an electric iron and started stamping it on my chest, back and buttocks. He was forced to stop torturing me by some landlords and other people in the neighbourhood,” the poor boy revealed amidst tears.

Ezekiel, who disclosed that his parents reside in Ogijo, Ogun State, about 10 kilometres from Ikorodu, said he does not know how to locate them, as he started staying with his uncle at a very tender age.

In his reaction, Awoteju, who was formerly an Alhaji, told P.M.News that he never knew what got over him to carrying out such a barbaric act. He put the blame at the doorstep of the devil.

He said it was when he saw the boy the following day that he realised the evil he had committed.

The prophet, who is in charge of the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC), Itunu Parish, said: “though the boy is troublesome, I never meant to use the hot pressing iron on him, it was like my body had been taken over by the devil. His father is my brother and he has been staying with me for a very long time. I can only say I’m sorry for this wicked act.” The case has since been reported at the Sagamu Road Police Division, Ikorodu, where the prophet is being detained over the dastardly act.

Mr. Ukadike Anamazobi, the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, of the station condemned the act.  He described it as sheer wickedness, adding it was the prophet’s landlord that came to report the incident at the police.

He said that the police are making efforts to locate the boy’s parents.

Ezekiel is receiving treatment at the Ikorodu General Hospital, while the police are concluding plans to arraign the suspect in the court.