For alleged rape of a minor, the court remands pastor

Chukwuemeka Orji, 60, was remanded to the Correctional Facility on Tuesday following the alleged rape of a minor by him, according to an Aba South Senior Magistrate’s Court decision.

Orji, a pastor at the Assemblies of God Church on Ukonu Street, off Ngwa Road, Aba, is accused of repeatedly raping a 13-year-old girl who shared his home. He is charged with one count of this crime.

The rape victim (name withheld) testified in court that the defendant frequently had carnal knowledge of her.

She claimed that after Orji had raped a woman for the third time, she contacted Mercy, who allegedly confronted Orji.

According to the survivor, the pastor refuted the accusation in front of his wife.

Nonetheless, she claimed that Orji persisted in raping her and threatened to send her back to her parents in the Ugwunagbo community if she exposed him.

She claimed that the danger kept her from discussing her experiences with her parents, who attend a different religious branch.

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She added that on June 15th, when Orji’s wife had left for the market, he asked her out for sex but she declined since she was menstruating.

Nonetheless, she claimed that Orji made her suck his manhood, which she found repugnant.

She claimed that he told her to mow the overgrown grass in their compound “as a punishment” because she was unable to satisfy him.

She claimed that she sobbed her way to school on June 15 after the incident.

“The owner of my school asked me why I was crying as I was crying, and I told him the truth.

She claimed that the police were contacted about the situation at that point.

After hearing the charge read to him, Orji reportedly entered a not guilty plea, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The Magistrate, Mrs. Jane Young-Daniel, called Orji’s wife on her cellphone after he gave his own version of events and inquired as to whether she was aware of the accusation levelled against her husband.

It was discovered that Mercy originally denied hearing the accusation but subsequently acknowledged hearing it. She then approached her husband, who, according to Mercy, denied the accusation.

In order to stop the defendant from further abusing the girl, the Police Prosecutor, Ms. Mary Udoji, pleaded with the court to deny the defendant’s request for release on bond.

After learning that the girl had been held in police custody for some time, Young-Daniel commanded that she be promptly released to her parents.

She also mandated Orji’s detention at the Aba Correctional Facility.

She set the hearing dates on July 6 and 18 for the matter.