In a shocking case that has rocked the community, a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Nwaigwe Stephen, has been remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Center by the Awka Chief Magistrates' Court. The court, also known as the Children, Sexual, and Gender-Based Violence Court of Anambra State, made the decision after the priest was accused of raping and impregnating a teenage girl.
According to the allegations, the priest forcefully took the pregnant minor to Benin City, Edo State, where she gave birth. However, the whereabouts of the baby remains unknown, as revealed by the police investigation.
The act of sexual intercourse with a minor is a punishable offense under section 34(2) of the Child's Rights Law of Anambra State, 2004.
Fr. Nwaigwe had previously been expelled from the "Two Hearts of Love Congregation" (Ugwu Nso), a popular Catholic faith-based religious congregation in Orlu, Imo State, in 2018, due to alleged misconducts that tarnished the order's image.
Investigation uncovered that the priest met the teenager at St. Albert The Great Catholic Church Parish in Obosi, Anambra State, where he had been invited for a religious church program.
During the remand proceedings on November 20, 2023, the victim testified that the priest took her from her parents at the age of 14, promising to sponsor her education while she served as his cook. She revealed that the priest began sexually assaulting her shortly after she moved into his house, and this continued until she became pregnant at the age of 17.
The minor further stated that when she informed the priest about her pregnancy, he took her from Ihiala, Anambra State, to Benin City, Edo State, where he introduced her to a man and woman he claimed were his brother and brother's wife. However, she later discovered that her baby had allegedly died and been buried, despite not being shown the child's body.
The police prosecutor presented a probable cause to order the priest's remand, and witnesses were bound over to appear before the High Court to provide evidence when the case is mentioned.
The defense counsel applied for bail, citing relevant sections of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) of Anambra State, 2022, and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). The defense assured the court that Fr. Stephen Nwaigwe would not flee if granted bail.
However, the police prosecutor vehemently opposed the bail application, emphasizing that the case involved an offense against a minor under the spiritual guardianship of the defendant. The prosecutor pointed out that the defendant had already been suspended by the Roman Catholic Church and that his alleged health challenges were not certified by a qualified medical professional as required by the ACJL, 2022. There were concerns that granting bail could result in him fleeing the country.
In her ruling on the bail application, the presiding Chief Magistrate, Genevieve Osakwe, acknowledged that the offense of rape against minors was becoming prevalent in society and carried a life imprisonment penalty. She declared that the court would not tolerate such crimes and ordered the remand of Rev. Fr. Stephen Nwaigwe in the Correctional Center. The court advised him to seek bail at the High Court.
Additionally, the Presiding Chief Magistrate instructed the Prosecuting Police Officer to forward the original case file to the office of the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Anambra State.
