MICHAEL AKINOLA
A clergyman, Pastor Justice Aniele, of the Assemblies of God Church, who repeatedly raped and eventually impregnated a 14-year old orphan under his care, has been handed life imprisonment in River State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Amaji Community in Omuma Local Government area of Rivers State.
The 39-year old Pastor Aniele has been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the dastardly act on the orphan by a River State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt.
He was found guilty of engaging in unlawful sexual exploitation of the orphaned girl, which led to pregnancy.
The Police arrested Pastor Aniele for consistently raping the girl before he got her pregnant and then charged him before the Court for trial.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Augusta Kingsley-Chuku, in her judgement, found him guilty of the crime.
Justice Kingsley-Chuku condemned Pastor Aniele for the sexual exploitation of the minor, who she noted was under his protective care.
She noted that the sexual exploitation resulted to pregnancy and the birth of a little baby boy that later died.
The Court also held that Pastor Aniele did not show any remorse for his actions by attempting to abort the pregnancy.
The Court also noted that Aniele regularly threatened to kill the orphaned girl if she revealed the sexual exploitation to anyone.
The Judge said the offence committed by Aniele is punishable under Section 32, Sub Section 2 of Rivers State Child Rights Law of 2009 and sentenced him accordingly.
In his reaction, the State Prosecution Counsel, Lilian Franklin, expressed satisfaction that justice has been served on the victim and the state.
Also, Counsel representing International Federation of Female Lawyers, FIDA, Rivers State, Chisom Anyalebechi, expressed happiness that the defendant was convicted for the crime he committed to serve as deterrent to others who might attempt to commit such crime.
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