Operatives at Rumuji Police Division, yesterday, arrested a 55-year old resident pastor of a new generation church, identified simply as Pillar, for allegedly defiling and impregnating a 15-year-old girl in Ndele community, Emohua Local Council of Rivers State.
The Guardian gathered that the arrest followed a complaint by one Amesi ThankGod, an in-law to the victim.
ThankGod, in an interview, narrated that the girl, who often goes to the said church to “relax” whenever her mother goes to farm, was seen vomiting and was certified pregnant.
He said: “If her mother goes to the farm, the girl normally goes to the church to relax, then comes back in the evening.
“In the last few days, she was vomiting, before my wife (her elder sister) took her for a medical test. Afterwards, the result showed that she was pregnant, that was how we found out.”
Explaining further, ThankGod claimed that the pastor reportedly threatened the 15-year-old girl not to tell anyone, warning that if she does, he will kill her.
He stated that upon discovery that the teenager was pregnant, her elder sister took her to the pastor, who reportedly took responsibility for the pregnancy.
ThankGod alleged that the pastor pleaded with the teenager’s sister to allow him terminate the pregnancy, but the suggestion was declined.
He added that the teenage girl has been sick and is being assisted by her mother and her elder sister as a result of the pregnancy.
The pastor was reportedly taken into protective custody by a local vigilante group in Ndele when news of the incident spread in the community, to prevent mob action before the personnel of Rumuji Police Division came for his arrest.
Meanwhile, a human rights advocacy group, Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign has called for a thorough investigation into the incident.
The group, in a statement by its national coordinator, Prince Wiro, urged the police to ensure that the suspect, if found culpable, is arraigned in court.
Spokesperson for Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, was yet to speak on the incident at press time.
