The trial of former Dunamis International Gospel Centre Pastor Abraham Daniel and Peter Enenche has been rescheduled for April 25, 2025, to hear pending applications.
The new hearing date is contained in a hearing notice dated April 14, 2025, issued by the registrar and served on the parties.
The defendants, Abraham Daniel and Peter Enenche, a kinsman of Dunamis Church’s Senior Pastor Paul Enenche, are standing trial before a Wuse Zone 6 Magistrate Court of Federal Capital Territory in Abuja over allegations of criminal defamation against Pastor Paul Enenche.
The Federal Capital Territory Magistrate Court, presided over by Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna, had initially fixed May 26, 2025, as the date to hear all pending applications in a case involving allegations of cyberbullying and criminal defamation against Pastor Paul Enenche.
The defendants, who were remanded at the Keffi Custodial Centre in Nasarawa State, were later granted bail. However, the sudden rescheduling of the case to April 25 has raised questions about the reasons behind the change.
On March 26, newsmen reported that the Inspector General of Police, Dr. Kayode Egbetokun, requested the court to revoke the bail of Peter Enenche—kinsman of Pastor Paul Enenche—for allegedly breaching bail conditions in the ongoing defamation case.
Peter Enenche, Abraham Daniel, and others still at large are being prosecuted by the Nigerian Police Force for the alleged criminal defamation of Pastor Paul Enenche of Dunamis International Gospel Centre and Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
The IGP Egbetokun, in a Motion on Notice filed before the court dated March 17, through his Counsel, Francis Gabriel Esq, attached to the Legal Prosecution Section of the Nigeria Police Force, had accused Peter of violating his bail conditions.
In view of the alleged violation, the police chief sought an order from the court to remand him in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Service pending the conclusion of the trial of his case.
The IGP, who is the Complainant/Applicant brought the application pursuant to section 35 (f,44 (2)Κ. 251(d) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), Section 4 of Police Act, Sections 3, 18(1)(f)(h)(i). 35, 36, 39, 47, 113, 114, 293, 162 and 173 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and under inherent jurisdiction of the Court.
The Applicant based the application on allegations that the bail conditions were violated.
Newsmen learned that this move followed a petition filed by the defendants—Abraham Daniel, a former Dunamis pastor, and Peter Enenche—against the presiding magistrate, Chief Emmanuel A. Iyanna. The petition accused him of judicial misconduct, including abuse of court process and disregard for legal procedures and practice directions.
Among the six grounds cited in the application, the Applicant argued that the 1st Defendant, after being granted bail by this Honourable Court, proceeded to publish several defamatory statements on Facebook, WhatsApp, and other social media platforms against the General Overseer of Dunamis International Gospel Centre.
As such, he is alleged to have continued committing the very offence for which he is currently standing trial before the court.
“The 1st Defendant also made publication touching on the substance of the criminal trial ongoing before this Honourable Court without the consent of this Court and with the target of ridiculing this Court in the eye of the general public,” the Application said.
“That the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 empowers this Honourable Court to revoke the bail of the 1st Defendant whenever the 1st Defendant is found to be committing another offence while on bail.
“That unless this Honourable Court intervenes by granting this application, the Respondents will get away with their plans of truncating the justice of this case.”
The applicant sought three reliefs: “An order of this Honourable Court revoking the bail of the 1st Defendant, Oboyinlo Enenche Peter, for violating the Condition of his bail.
“An order remanding the 1st Defendant at the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Service pending the conclusion of trial of this case.
“And such further order(s) as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in these circumstances of this case.”
