Pastor Philip Ogbebor of Benin City’s Breakthrough Ministries has been remanded to a Nigerian federal medium security prison after he admitted having carnal knowledge of a 22 year old member of his congregation.

Ogbebor will be held in the prison until the start of his trial, which will likely only be a sentencing hearing as he has already admitted he is guilty.

‘I am only passing through temptation,’ Ogbebor told the court.

‘I only did it four times with the man who is 22 years old and a regular member of my church. I can’t claim that it was the devil’s influence, let God decide my case.’

Ogbebor has also been accused of telling the man that he would kill him if he ever told anyone that they had sex together.

Despite the alleged threats, the man told his parents who then told the police.

If found guilty of indecent assault Ogbebor could be jailed for up to 14 years.

In May this year Nigeria passed a bill making entering into or witnessing a same-sex marriage a crime and the West African nation has been sending out mixed signals about what it would do if assigned an ambassador who was in a same-sex relationship.