A magistrates’ court in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, on Tuesday remanded a bishop, Onyeagoziri Ndubueze, in the Abakaliki Correctional Centre for alleged sexual abuse of a 22-year-old female member of his church.

The chief magistrate, Nike Chima, ordered his remand after the magistrate rejected the bail application by the defence counsel, Friday Agbom.

The magistrate told Mr Agbom that the court could not grant Mr Ndubueze bail because the court lacked the jurisdiction to handle the case.

Ms Chima subsequently ordered that the case file should be transferred to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice.

The magistrate adjourned the case until November 4 for a hearing.

Mr Ndubueze, who was arraigned by the police, is facing a four-count charge bordering on threats to life, falsehood, fraudulent acts, and the circulation of pornographic photos of the girl.

The prosecutor, Catherine Ajibo, alleged that the defendant, sometime in 2021 at Mile 50 Layout, Abakaliki, did have unlawful carnal knowledge of the lady.

Ms Ajibo alleged that the defendant obtained the victim’s consent through threats, falsehoods, and fraudulent means, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 358 of the Criminal Code, Cap 33, Vol 1, Law of Ebonyi State of Nigeria.

She said the offence was also punishable under Section 20 (1) of the Ebonyi State Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law 2024, as amended.

(NAN)