- He was arraigned by the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department
- The pastor pleaded guilty when the charge was read to him
- Court adjourned the matter to 19, July
One Piller Erekwa has been remanded at the maximum security custodial centre in the Rivers State capital for allegedly defiling a minor.
A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Port Harcourt ordered the remand of Erekwa, a new generation church pastor, on Thursday.
He was arraigned by the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department of the Rivers State Police Command on a one-count charge of sexual abuse.
The accused (Piller Erekwa ) pleaded guilty when the charge was read to him that he sexually abused a 15-year-old girl in Mgbuola village in Ndele, Emuoha Local Government Area of Rivers State between December 2022 and January 2023 thereby committing an offence punishable by the law of Rivers State.
The court presided over by Chief Magistrate Ogeh Elkanah at the Rivers State family court adjourned the matter to 19, July 2023 for facts and sentencing, after remanding the suspect.
Recall that Erekwa who is the presiding pastor of the Glorious Covenant Church was arrested last Thursday at Ndele by Rumuji Police Division and later transferred to State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for further investigation.
The trial Magistrate, Ogeh Elkanah adjourned the matter to 19, July 2023 for facts and sentencing, demanding the suspect
Recall that Pastor Erekwa was accused of defiling and impregnating the teenager who is also a member of his church.
He also allegedly proposed termination of the pregnancy, but the girl’s family who had confronted him with the issue objected to it.
Meanwhile, a group, the Centre for Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign has commended the Police for arraignment of the suspect in court.
The National Coordinator, Prince Wiro also commended the family of the rape survivor for not kowtowing to entreaties for an out-of-court settlement
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