Court Remands Nigerian Bishop In Prison For Sleepiπg With Sickle Cell Patient
A Magistrates’ Court sitting in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, has ordered the remand of the Bishop in charge of Champions Cathedral Church, Bishop Sam Onyeagoziri, in the Abakaliki Correctional Centre for allegedly having carnal knowledge of a sickle cell patient.
Onyeagoziri was docked on Tuesday in Abakaliki on a four-count charge in a suit marked MAB/547c/2025, bordering on unlawful carnal knowledge, threat to life with a gun, exposure of nude pictures on the internet, and emotional and psychological abuse of the sickle cell patient.
The Defence Counsel, Friday Agbom, applied for bail for his client pursuant to Section 88 (2) and Section 92 (2) of the Ebonyi State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2019, as well as Section 36 (5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
On her part, the Prosecutor, Ajibo Catherine, opposed the bail application, arguing that granting bail to the defendant could interfere with witnesses and hinder the progress of the case.
During the arraignment, the trial Magistrate, Happiness Chima, ordered the remand of the Bishop, citing the Magistrate Court’s lack of jurisdiction to hear such matters. Consequently, the defendant did not take a plea.
She directed that the original case file, evidence, and other documents be transferred to the Department of Public Prosecution for further action at the High Court.
The matter was adjourned to 4 November 2025 for a report of compliance and further prosecution at the High Court.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Female Lawyers Association in Ebonyi State, Oluchi Odeh, led a team of members who held a watching brief for the complainant during the arraignment.
The charge sheet reads:
“That you, Sam Onyeagoziri Ndubueze ‘M’, sometime in the year 2021 at Mile 50 Layout, Abakaliki, in the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did have unlawful carnal knowledge of one female (name withheld), having obtained her consent by means of threats and false and fraudulent representation, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 358 of the Criminal Code Cap 33 Vol. 1 Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria.
“That you, Defendant, on the same date, place and within the aforementioned magisterial district, did threaten the life of one female (name withheld) with a gun, which caused her extreme fear, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 12(1)(a)(b) of the Ebonyi State Internal Security Enforcement and Related Matters Law, 2009.
“That you, Defendant, on the same date, place and within the aforementioned magisterial district, did knowingly send messages by means of computer systems that are pornographic, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 24(2)(I) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024.
“That you, Defendant, on the same date, place and within the aforementioned magisterial district, did emotionally and psychologically abuse one female (name withheld) by causing her nude photographs to be circulated on social media, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 20(1) of the Ebonyi State Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, 2018.”
Naija News House had earlier reported how Bishop Onyeagoziri slept with lady and leaked the video on community Whatsapp group.
