The General Overseer of Jesus House of Joy Church, Awka, Anambra State, Pastor Francis Ogwu, who was arrested for allegedly defiling his housemaid,7, has blamed his wife for giving him excuses with fasting and prayer over sex.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the cleric, Pastor Ogwu, made the confession after he was arrested by Police operatives following an alarm raised by concerned residents of the community, which drew the attention of the State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare.
The suspect, who hails from Imo State but has lived with his wife and children in Awka town, Anambra State, for over 30 years, admitted to have done so and blamed the temptation on his wife.
Pastor Ọgwụ, during interrogations, confessed to the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Hon. Ify Obinabo, that he “just fingered the girl once” but denied other allegations of penetration as against what the victim claimed.
On why he defiled the child, the suspect explained, “I was tempted because my wife usually gives excuses that she’s fasting whenever I want to have quality time with her”.
However, the victim told the Honourable Commissioner that the suspect had carnal knowledge of her three times and usually gives her money ranging from N500 to N1,000 after each experience.
She also said that at some point, she was accused by the Pastor’s wife of snatching the husband from her, revealing that it was what prompted her to leave the house following the beating she got by the suspect’s daughter.
The victim’s mother, a native of Awka, stated that she handed the daughter over to the Ogwu family because of the relationship they have had over time, but was shocked when her daughter returned and told her of the development.
She revealed that she quickly called the suspect, who, upon arrival, denied the allegations, which prompted her to involve other persons by raising the alarm.
Reacting to the incident, the Women Affairs and Social Welfare Commissioner, Obinabo, vowed to see that the victim gets the deserved justice and advised women to always be vigilant and stop sex starving their husbands as that could lead to bad behaviours of some men.
Obinabo, who charged women to always protect their girl child at all costs, noted that defilement is no longer excusable in the state.
Later, family members of the suspect visited the office of the Commissioner, pleading for pardon but were asked to head to the Police as the case would be charged to Court.
Pastor Ogwu may spend several years in prison custody for the alleged defilement under the Criminal Laws of the State but that will be after the conclusion of investigations by the Police.