A pastor has been arrested by the Rivers State Police Command for allegedly defiling and impregnating a 15-year-old girl in the Ndele community, Emohua Local Government Area of the state.
The man has been identified as Piler Erekwa, 45.
He was arrested following a complaint made by Amesi ThankGod, an in-law to the teenager.
Mr. ThankGod told newsmen that the victim and her mother were members of the worship center, Gracious Covenant Church.
He said that the girl usually goes to church to pass the time whenever her mother goes to the farm, until they noticed some strange behaviour from her.
“If her mother goes to the farm, the girl normally goes to the church to relax and returns in the evening. Then in the last few days, the girl started vomiting. My wife (her elder sister) took her for a medical examination. The result shows she is pregnant,” he explained.
ThankGod said the cleric had allegedly threatened to kill the teenager if she spill the beans.
He, however, said following the discovery, the girl’s elder sister took her to Pastor Pillar, who allegedly admitted that he was responsible for the pregnancy.
ThankGod revealed that the pastor pleaded with the girl’s sister to allow him to get rid of the pregnancy, but the family objected to it.
“The (pastor) said they should give her some drugs to flush the pregnancy so that the girl will be free. But if we allow that, the girl may die and we have ourselves to blame.”
He said the matter was reported to a vigilante group who in turn handed over the suspect to the Rumuji Police Division in EmuohaEmuoha and was taken into custody.
The spokesperson of the state Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident.
“Yes, we are aware of the incident. The suspect has been arrested and the investigation is ongoing,” she said