•Pregnancy
A cleric, Peter James, has allegedly impregnated a teenage girl (names withheld) with disability in the Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State.
Pastor James, who is in charge of the Christ Apostolic Church, Modebiayo parish at Oke-Gburowo in the Odigbo LGA, was arrested by the security agencies yesterday, reports Daily Trust.
He was dragged to the palace of the traditional ruler of the community, Oba Oloja Moses Ogunmoyewa, after he allegedly impregnated the 13-year-old girl.
A source close to the victim’s family, explained that the pastor had during interrogation at the palace of the Oloja, allegedly own up to being responsible for the pregnancy.
“The confession was documented by the monarch and other members of his subjects,” he said.
The mother of the victim, Mrs. Victoria Bernard, said the pastor denied the pregnancy because of the girl’s deformity.
She, however, called on government, organisation and members of the public to come to the aides of the family and intervene in the matter to avoid the pastor using his authority to sweep the case under the rug.
Trouble reportedly started when the pastor denied ownership of the pregnancy.
However, operatives of the Amotekun Corps in Ore have begun investigations into the case.
It was also gathered that the zonal headquarters of the church later intervened in the matter, but all efforts by his colleagues to persuade the pastor to accept responsibility for the pregnancy proved abortive.
Confirming the incident, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Ayanlade Olayinka, said the suspect had been invited for interrogation over the case.
While revealing that the police would not sweep the case under the carpet, Mr Olayinka promised that the security agencies would get to the root of the matter and ensure justice is served.
