TULSA, Okla. — Women wey don suffer for decades don finally gather to blow whistle on Joseph Lyle Campbell, pastor wey get public image as good preacher but foto full of bad secrets. Dem alleged say di man, wey dey 67 years, don sexually abuse dem when dem be children for 1970s and 1980s.
Cheryl Almond, one of di victims, talk say, “Joe Campbell need to dey inside jail!” She narrate how he lure am go im house, force am for bed, and penetrate am with im finger. Di shocking story fit make anyone wonder how di church allow Campell to go free for so long.
Di NBC News investigation show say multiple women don report say Campbell sexually assaulted dem. Kerri Jackson from Oklahoma said he molest am one or two times every week for three years, starting from when she be just 9 years old. Lisa Ball from Arkansas share say he invite her to live with am after she get pregnant as teenager and rape her repeatedly.
Dem even get di memories of where di abuse happen: for church nursery, childhood bedroom, and even in di garage during youth group sleepovers. Di church leaders, instead of taking action, allow Campbell to continue preaching, despite di various reports wey don dey reach dem since 1983.
Di Assemblies of God denomination wey Campbell be part of say dem don know about di allegations as far back as 1988, but na only when di pressure don plenty and journalists don start ask questions, dem finally ban him.
But instead of facing justice, Campbell start his own church and children’s camp. Sources say di place become haven for people wey don dey accused or convicted of abusing children.
In 2016, he start to work for di PTL Television Network, wey don use im sermons showcase across di country. Despite all di allegations, Campbell no respond to di numerous inquiries from NBC News.
After years of silence and ngworo ngworo gossip, di women begin dey network and support each other, forming sisterhood to expose di truth. Dem don wisper like say na destiny when dem finally come together to confront di issue in December. Under di bright sky of Oklahoma, Kerri Jackson don return to di police station to begin di process again, hoping for justice.
“Lord, I pray that you go use these women to stop di abuse wey dey happen in religious places by men wey feel say dem go escape justice,” one retired pastor pray for dem.
For di night wey Kerri Jackson talk her story again, many go dey listen. Di women don tire of di abuse wey dey happen under cover of di church and dem ready to fight back at last, hoping dis time dem go see change.
As dem prepare to go public, di women remember di strength from one another. Dem talk say God don give dem di purpose to confront Joseph Campbell one last time and make sure say dis pastor wey get dark secrets no go escape justice dis time.
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