A 60-year-old Deeper Life Bible Church pastor, Mr. Boniface Onyekwere is to face trial before the High Court for allegedly raping a 12-year-old girl identified as Uju Okafor, in Awka the Anambra State Capital.
Already the suspect has been remanded at Correction Center in Awka pending his appearance before the Court.
This is coming as the Anambra State Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs in the State Mrs. Ify Obinabo called for the full prosecution of the alleged suspect.
Recall that two weeks ago, Pastor Onyekwere who is also a Lecturer at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka was said to have defiled a minor who had been living with him three days before the incident.
The minor who gave her name as Uju Okafor from Ufuma in Orumba north local government areas 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 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 Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), in Anambra State DSP Tochukwu Ikenga said that the Command is carrying out more investigation on the matter.
The image maker advised parents and guardians to be mindful of the people they handover their children to as house maids.
Also speaking the Women Commissioner Mrs. Obinabo expressed her joy over the protest carried out by the women organization, adding that one of the key agenda of the Governor Charles Soludo’s administration is to ensure the protection of women children.
“We have commenced sensitization programs for women, girl child and young boys to avert abuse of the younger generation.
The women group who carried various placards reads, “Soludo protect our girls”, “Pastor Boniface Onyekwere must face the wrath of the law”, “say no to rape”, and “we want justice”, “Soludo on justice we stand”, among others..
“We also call on groups and faith based organizations as well as Chuches to teach morals and embrace the culture and traditions of the society for posterity”.
Speaking earlier the Leader of the Women Organization Hon. Nkiru Nwagbo contended that the body would leave no stone unturned until the victim gets justice.
“We do not know what our society is turning into and that is why we are doing all that we can to get justice for here and this would serve as a lesson for those who may want to continue in this inhumane activities,” she added.
Credit: News Den
