Pastor to face trial for alleged rape of a minor

A 60-year-old Deeper Life Bible Church Pastor, Mr Boniface Onyekwere, who allegedly raped a 12-year-old girl in Ifite area of Awka, Anambra State, two weeks ago is to soon appear in court for defiling a minor.

The victim had in a bid to escape being sexually molested by the suspect jumped from a two-storey building and broke her leg.

Pastor Onyekwere, who is also a Lecturer at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, is said to have lived with the minor for three days before the incident.

Already, the suspect has been remanded at the Correction Center in Awka pending his appearance in court.

Meanwhile, the Anambra State Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Mrs Ify Obinabo, on Friday called for the full prosecution of the suspect.

The minor (name withheld) from Ufuma in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, said that when she could not bear the pains of rape about 9:30pm on that fateful day she jumped down from the two-storey building and broke her leg in the process.

Speaking during a protest carried out by Ultimate Business Women and Farmers Association of Nigeria, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, said that the command is carrying out more investigation on the matter.

Ikenga urged parents and guardians to be mindful of the people they handover their children to as house maids.

On her part, the State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Obinabo, expressed her joy over the protest carried out by the women organisation, adding that one of the key agenda of the Governor Chukwuma Soludo administration is to ensure the protection of women and children.

She said: “We have commenced sensitization programs for women, girl child and young boys to avert abuse of the younger generation.

“We also call on groups and faith based organizations as well as churches to teach morals and embrace the culture and traditions of the society for posterity.”

Earlier in her speech, the leader of the women organisation, Nkiru Nwagbo, said that the body will leave no stone unturned until the victim gets justice.

She added: “We do not know what our society is turning into and that is why we are doing all that we can to get justice and this would serve as a lesson for those who may want to continue in this inhumane activities.”

The placard carried by the women group read, “Say no to rape”, “We want justice”, “Soludo protect our girls”, “Pastor Boniface Onyekwere must face the wrath of the law”, and “Soludo on justice we stand”, etc.