Pastor, 39, gets life sentence for raping, impregnating 14-yr-old orphan

A 39-year-old pastor, Justice Aniele, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for allegedly raping and impregnating a 14-year-old orphan girl under his care.

Aniele, a pastor with the Assemblies of God Church in Amaji community in the Omuma Local Government Area of the state, reportedly committed the offence sometime in 2017, when he repeatedly had unlawful carnal knowledge of the teenager and got her pregnant.

While delivering judgement on the case, the presiding judge, Justice Augusta Kingsley-Chuku, found Aniele guilty of taking advantage of the minor and having unlawful sexual intercourse with her, which resulted in the birth of a baby boy who later died.

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The judge frowned at the fact that Aniele did not show any remorse for his actions by attempting to abort the pregnancy more than once and for threatening to kill the victim if she revealed the truth to anyone.

Justice Kingsley-Chuku said the offence was punishable under Section 32 (2) of the Rivers State Child Rights Law 2009 and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

The counsel representing the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Chisom Anyalebechi, who expressed happiness that the accused was convicted for the crime, said:

“It will serve as a deterrent to others because many people are getting away with it and victims and their families are sometimes complicit,” she added.

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