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Catholic Priest remanded for raping, impregnating teenage girl in Anambra
Catholic Priest remanded for raping, impregnating teenage girl in Anambra
AN NAwka Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court of Anambra State, has remanded a Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Nwaigwe Stephen to the Nigerian Correctional Center, for allegedly raping and impregnating a teenager.
The priest was also accused of forcefully taking the pregnant minor to Benin City, Edo State, where she delivered her baby, but police investigation revealed that the whereabouts of the said baby are still unknown.
The offence of sexual intercourse with a minor is punishable under section 34(2) of the Child’s Rights Law of Anambra State, 2004.
It could be recalled that Fr. Nwaigwe was among the priests expelled by a popular Catholic Faith-Based Religious Congregation in Orlu, Imo State, known as the Two Hearts of Love Congregation” (Ugwu Nso) in 2018, for alleged misconducts inimical to the image of the order.
It was learnt that the priest had met the teenager at the St. Albert The Great Catholic Church Parish, Obosi, Anambra State, where he was invited for a religious church programme.
Meanwhile, according to the victim, while answering questions in court during remand proceedings on Monday, November 20, 2023, the priest took her from her parents to live with him when she was 14 years old, promising to sponsor her education, while she equally served as the priest’s cook.
She added that not long after she moved into the priest’s house, he started forcing himself sexually on her, saying that Rev. Fr. Nwaigwe continued doing it until she became pregnant at the age of 17.
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The minor further stated that when she informed the priest about her pregnancy, the priest took her from Ihiala Anambra State, where they lived, to somewhere in Benin City, Edo State to the house of a man and woman whom the priest introduced to her as his brother and brother’s wife.
“But when I gave birth to my baby at a native birth attendant’s house in Benin City, I was told that the baby died and when I made efforts for them to show me the dead baby, they said it has been buried”.
When Court asked if she had been gang-raped before, the minor noted, “While on our way to Benin City, father told me to say that I was gang-raped. But I have never been raped before, except the ones he (father) did to me in his house”.
Also, during remand proceedings, the Police prosecutor informed the court that there was probable cause to order the remand of the priest; witnesses were bound over to appear before the High Court to give evidence, whenever the case would be mentioned.
However, the defence counsel applied for the bail of the defendant, urging the court to exercise his discretion of bail in favour of the defendant, while citing Sections 13(3), 71(3), 72 and 73 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) of Anambra State, 2022, as well as, Sections 35 and 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as Amended.
He also prayed the court to grant bail to the priest in most liberal terms; assuring the court that Rev. Fr. Stephen Nwaigwe would never jump bail, if granted.
But, in a vehement opposition to the bail application by the defence counsel, the police prosecutor prayed the court to refuse bail to the clergyman, stating that the case before the court was an offence against a minor who was supposedly under the spiritual guardianship of the defendant.
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The prosecuting police officer emphasised that the defendant had since been suspended by the authorities of the Roman Catholic Church, noting that the claim that the defendant had serious health challenge to warrant being granted bail, was never certified by a qualified medical personnel, as required by the ACJL, 2022.
According to the police prosecutor, the defendant could jump bail and leave the country without standing his trial, if granted bail.
Ruling on the bail application, the presiding Chief Magistrate, Genevieve Osakwe, stated that the case before the court was an offence punishable with life imprisonment, regretting that the offence of rape against minors was becoming rampant in the society.
She warned that the court would not fold its hands to watch the society decay, irrespective of whose ox is gored.
The court gave numerous instances of similar offences which had appeared before it in the past, mentioning specifically, a case involving a-75 year old man who also allegedly raped a minor and was accordingly remanded.
In the light of the above stance and other submissions by the honourable court, on point-of-Law, the defendant, Rev. Fr. Stephen Nwaigwe was accordingly remanded in the Correctional Center, even as the court urged him to seek his bail at the High Court.
Meanwhile, the Presiding Chief Magistrate ordered the Prosecuting Police Officer to transmit the original case file to the office of the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Anambra State.
She therefore adjourned the case to the 6th day of December, 2023, for report of compliance.
Catholic Priest remanded for raping, impregnating teenage girl in Anambra
(tribuneonlineng)
metro
Court strikes out Bobrisky’s fundamental rights suit against EFCC
Court strikes out Bobrisky’s fundamental rights suit against EFCC
Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has dismissed a fundamental rights suit instituted against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, by Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju (a.k.a Bobrisky) alleging breach of his rights by the Commission and seeking N200million damages.
In a judgment delivered on Thursday, November 28, 2024, Justice Owoeye held that Bobrisky’s claims of encroachment of his rights lacked merit with no credible evidence to justify the reliefs he sought from the court.
One of the reliefs sought was an “ an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Respondents” from harassing, declaring him wanted, arresting or detaining him “whether by themselves, their officers, servants, agents…”.
In another relief, Bobrisky prayed the court to award the sum of N200million against the EFCC as damages he allegedly suffered from the activities of the Commission regarding his arrest and trial.
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After evaluating all the reliefs he sought, Justice Owoeye ruled that “having evaluated the evidence placed before this Court by the Applicant, it is evident that the Applicant has failed to provide credible evidence to justify the award of the declaratory and injunctive reliefs sought by him”.
The judge further stated that, “in the final analysis, I hold the claims of violation of fundamental rights against the 1st and 2nd Respondents were not made out of the affidavit evidence placed before this Court. The claim of the Applicant against the 1st to the 2nd Respondents hereby lacks merit and is liable to be dismissed. It is accordingly dismissed”. The judge also refused to award any damage against the EFCC.
Bobrisky had dragged both the EFCC and the National Assembly before the court and all the reliefs he sought were thrown out. He was originally arrested by the EFCC on April 4, 2024 by the Commission for Naira abuse. His arrest eventually led to his six months conviction by Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on April 12, 2024.
Court strikes out Bobrisky’s fundamental rights suit against EFCC
metro
Police arrest 5 suspected trans-border arms dealers, recover 5 Israeli rifles, others
Police arrest 5 suspected trans-border arms dealers, recover 5 Israeli rifles, others
Operatives of the Nigerian Police have arrested 5 suspected trans-border arms dealers during a major operation in Zamfara State.
A statement signed by Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the suspects were arrested on 18th November, 2024, with several arms recovered from them.
The statement reads : “The Nigeria Police Force in its unyielding resolution and unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all citizens, continues to work tirelessly to prevent and combat all forms of crime and criminality.
These relentless efforts are paying off, as the Force has successfully made the arrest of five (5) suspects involved in trans-border gun running. The suspects identified as Adamu Noma ‘m’, Matthew Audu ‘m’, Andrew Poyi ‘m’, Aminu Sani ‘m’, and Aminu Talha ‘m’ were apprehended by the operatives of the FID-IRT on the 18th of November, 2024 in Zamfara State.
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Upon arrest and conducted search, 10 locally fabricated Ak-47 rifles, 5 Isreali Ak-47 rifles, 1 revolver pistol, 1 pump action rifle, 20 rounds of Ak-47 ammunition, and 1 welding machine for fabrication of rifles were recovered from the suspect.
These feats, and several more recorded by police operatives across the country are indications of the steadfastness and commitment of the current police leadership to decimate and subdue criminal activities and insecurity in general in the country.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD., NPM., has re-echoed his directive to operatives of the Force, particularly, tactical units, to mop up every illegal arms and ammunition, and see to the total dismantling of local manufacturers of illicit arms and ammunition and dangerous weapons by all means. ”
Police arrest 5 suspected trans-border arms dealers, recover 5 Israeli rifles, others
metro
Army releases investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo
Army releases investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo
The Nigerian Army has released investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo.
According to the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), this development followed an intense media campaign advocating for his release.
In a social media post on Friday, FIJ revealed that the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, had detained its founder, Fisayo Soyombo, for three days.
“The 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt has been detaining our founder, Fisayo Soyombo, for three days. Journalism is not a crime,” FIJ wrote.
In its response, the Nigerian Army, through the Acting Deputy Director of 6 Division Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Danjuma, stated that Soyombo was arrested at an illegal bunkering site.
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Confirming Soyombo’s release on Friday evening, FIJ in a post via X said: “We can confirm that our founder @fisayosoyombo has now been released by @HQNigerianArmy, following the intense media campaign you all mounted.
“FIJ acknowledges the Nigerian Army’s deliberate mischaracterisation to suggest an involvement in “illegal oil bunkering”. FIJ will also address this statement appropriately.
“Our immediate concern is regarding the safety of ‘Fisayo Soyombo in view of extensive information sharing with the Army on his fieldwork during the period of his detention. We are assessing the situation and hoping that his safety will not be jeopardised after release.”
Army releases investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo
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