A panel of jurors in Monrovia has found a Nigerian Pastor Revival Womo Sam unanimously guilty of trafficking in person.
Following his indictment for rape, kidnapping and trafficking in person, defendant Sam faced trial at the Criminal Court “A” at the Temple of Justice.
But Criminal Court “A” which handled the case later transferred the rape charge to Criminal Court “E” which has jurisdiction over sexual offense cases and also dismissed the kidnap charge in the course of the trial.
Defendant Sam who runs the Global Revival Movement here was found guilty Thursday, 21 March for trafficking in person at Court “A”.
When all of the legal formalities required to climax the first phase of his prosecution are done with, defendant Sam will further face trial, this time at Criminal Court “E” for statutory rape.
Criminal Court “A” Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie is expected to make his ruling Tuesday, 26 March and possibly sentence the defendant.
The victim was allegedly placed under defendant Sam’s care by her mother for spiritual cleansing back in 2016, but the Pastor allegedly began abusing the teenage girl sexually at his residence and subsequently impregnated her.
The decision to place the victim under defendant Sam’s care for spiritual cleansing came following series of complaints that she was having bad dreams.
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In her testimony in-camera (not allowed to be seen) Thursday, 21 February at the Temple of Justice, the victim said she was 14 years old when Prophet Sam allegedly had sex with her for the first time.
The victim who may now be in her 15 years testified that she was never a virgin when she had her first sex with Prophet Sam.
However she did not say who may have had prior encounter with her.
The court heard that she gave birth last November to a girl child that she claims to be the daughter of defendant Sam.
Her family had demanded that she leaves the prophet’s house, but she still went with defendant Prophet Sam to Nigeria.
Testifying in his own defense during the course of the trial, defendant Prophet Sam says it was the family’s idea that the victim stays with him.
He argues further that he never changed the victim’s name as being alleged by prosecution, claiming that her name was changed before she moved to his house.
The defendant continues that after several months of nurturing the victim, they fell in love and he took her to Nigeria to attend his brother’s wedding.
At one point he claims that it was revealed to him that the victim had something planted in her to find his wife.
But he says following medical tests it was realized that the victim was carrying his unborn baby so he decided to marry her.
By Winston W. Parley
