Rivers Pastor pleads guilty to rape, impregnating 15- year- old girl

By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

A Rivers based cleric, Pastor Piller Erekwa of Glorious Covenant Church on Thursday pleaded guilty to one count charge of sexual abuse preferred against him by the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) at the Magistrate Court 1, Port Harcourt.

The case was presided over by Chief Magistrate Ogeh Elkanah at Rivers State family court.

The accused, Pastor Piller Erekwa pleaded guilty, when the charge was read to him that he sexually abused 15-year- old girl in Mgbuola village in Ndele between December 2022 and January 2023 thereby committing an offence punishable by law of Rivers State.

The Magistrate, however adjourned the matter to 19, July, 2023 for facts and sentencing.

Recall that Pastor Erekwa was arrested last week Thursday at Ndele by operatives of Rumuji Police Division over rape of the 15-year-old girl who became pregnant as a result of his action.

He was later transferred to State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) for further investigation.

In the meantime,the National Coordinator of Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign,Prince Wiro commended the Police for arraignment the suspect in court.

Mr Wiro equally commended the family of the rape survivor for not bowing to pressure to settle the case out of court.

The Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign and Lawyers Watch for Justice International Initiative are two key human rights groups in Rivers that closely followed police investigation and arraignment of the suspect.