Adultery allegation: Pastor Chris threatens media

Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, head pastor of Christ Embassy has threatened legal action against media organizations that indulge in publishing what he described as wicked and fabricated story bothering on adultery.

According to a letter signed and released by his lawyer, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), Pastor Oyakhilome, insisted the stories in the media are complete distortion of the facts and deliberate attempt to bring his person and the Church to public ridicule.

“Be warned therefore that unless the concerned media houses desist from further publishing words and stories which are false and damaging of our client’s reputation and the Church, we shall, without further recourse to the concerned publishers, promptly embark on appropriate legal machinery with a view to protecting our client’s reputation and that of the Church, his lawyer stated”.

There is ongoing matrimonial case in a London court between the embattled Pastor and his wife, Anita.

The letter reads further, “The attention of our client, Rev. Chris Oyakhilome and the Church, the CHRIST EMBASSY (“the Church”) has been drawn to the wave of false, malicious and fabricated stories being published in the print and electronic media about his person, the Church and a matrimonial cause between him and his wife.

“Our client is seriously concerned that under the guise of reporting a divorce proceeding involving him, publishers resorted into an unjustified and malicious attack on his reputation for reasons not unconnected with the respective publishers’ selfish motives of prospect of material and financial advantage attendant to the wide circulation their distorted and fabricated stories would enjoy.

“The publishers decided to fabricate facts including (but not limited to) allegation of ADULTERY against our client, with the wicked and malicious intention of bringing his person and the Church to public opprobrium and ridicule;

It is our client’s instructions to inform the members of the public and particularly warn the concerned media houses that the news or story presently circulating in the media is nothing but a complete distortion of the facts in the pending proceedings in the United Kingdom, to the knowledge of the publishers”.

Pastor Oyakhilome, said he however recognized individual’s right to freedom of expression but cautioned that such must be exercised within the applicable Code of Ethics.