Abakaliki, Ebonyi State (Nigeria): A Magistrate Court in Abakaliki has ordered the remand of Bishop Onyeagoziri Ndubueze, leader of Champion Cathedral Church, over allegations of sexual abuse involving a 22-year-old female church member.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Nike Chima, ordered his remand after the magistrate rejected the bail application by the Defence Counsel, Mr Friday Agbom.
The magistrate informed Agbom that the court lacked jurisdiction to grant Ndubueze bail.
Chima subsequently ordered that the case file should be transferred to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice.
The magistrate adjourned the case until Nov.4 for a hearing.
Ndubueze, who was arraigned by the police, is facing a four-count charge involving threats to life, falsehood, fraudulent act and the circulation of pornographic photos of the girl.
The Prosecutor, Catherine Ajibo, alleged that the defendant, sometime in 2021 at Mile 50 Layout, Abakaliki, did have unlawful carnal knowledge of the girl.
Ajibo alleged that the defendant obtained the consent of the girl by means of threats, falsehood and fraudulent means and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 358 of the Criminal Code, Cap 33, Vol . 1, Law of Ebonyi State of Nigeria.
She said that the offence was also punishable under Section 20 (1) of Ebonyi State Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law 2024, as amended.
