From Ifeoma Ejiofor, Awka
The Awka Chief Magistrates Court has remanded an ex-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 was delivered of her baby, but police investigation revealed that the whereabouts of the said baby is 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.
The priest met the teenager at the St. Albert The Great Catholic Church Parish, Obosi, Anambra State, where he was invited for a religious church programme.
The victim, while answering questions in court during remand proceedings, said that 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.
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 who the priest introduced to her as his brother and brother’s wife.
The defence counsel applied for bail of the defendant, urging the court to exercise his disrection of bail in favour of the defendant, while citing relevant sections of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law.
The defence counsel and the police prosecutor however 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.
Ruling on the bail application, the presiding Chief Magistrate, Genevieve Osakwe said, “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.”
She adjourned the case to the 6th day of December, 2023, for report of compliance.
