Pat Stevens/
The Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) has finally broken its silence over the allegation of rape levelled against its founder, Pastor, Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo.
The church made its stand known in a statement today by the Executive Senior Assistant to the Senior Pastor of the church, Ademola Adetuberu.
The church categorically denied the allegations of rape made against Fatoyinbo by Busola, celebrity photographer and wife of popular musician, Timi Dakolo.
Busola had claimed that Fatoyinbo raped her twice in 2002 when she was 17 years old.
The allegation is currently being investigated by the police, while both parties have also dragged themselves to court to seek redress.
The church said the travails of Fatoyinbo, its Senior Pastor, was fuelled by “envy and sheer jealousy”, adding that “we are not unaware that certain pastors that felt threatened by the unprecedented growth of COZA and the grace of God upon His Servant are after some of our members, just making every effort to cash in on the attack against God’s servant”.
It described the development as “an unnecessary distraction and a fight from the pit of hell against the ministry that God gave Rev. Biodun Fatoyinbo, as well as a declaration of war against the Church of Christ to which COZA is a flourishing branch under God’s grace”.
The statement reads: “As a result of the recent unprovoked satanic campaign of calumny orchestrated against the leadership and members of our church, Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) by agents of darkness, the church would like to break its silence and clear certain misconception and misinformation being churned out in order to misguide members of the church, public and relevant authorities that we do not support rape.
“We stand with anyone who has been a victim of rape. We stand by our Founding and Senior Pastor, Rev. Biodun Fatoyinbo, who has been at the receiving end of organized blackmail and all sorts of attacks because of his innocence and we are sure that our faithful and unfailing God will vindicate him very soon.
“As for Busola Dakolo, justice will soon be served. We would like to, again, for the record reiterate that our Senior Pastor, Rev. Biodun Fatoyinbo has never had anything personal to do with her. Busola was not raped by Rev. Biodun Fatoyinbo and she had never been in a relationship with him either.
“We are not unaware that certain pastors that felt threatened by the unprecedented growth of COZA and the grace of God upon His Servant are after some of our members, just making every effort to cash in on the attack against God’s servant. There was nothing they had not done behind the scene until this rape scandal. They are accusing our Pastor of snatching their members. Some are even asking why he couldn’t remain in Ilorin. Our focus is the Kingdom of God and winning souls for Christ. COZA is home to those who have sold out to Jesus. At COZA, we believe that every sent servant of God has his or her harvest field given to him or her by God and not by poaching souls or believers of another ministry.”
It urged “those sponsoring these evils to desist however if they do not, the God of vengeance will visit them. They should let Rev. Biodun Fatoyinbo continue freely with his divine mandate that our Lord Jesus Christ gave him. It is ungodly and sinful to be used by satan against the anointed”.
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