High Court Sentences Pastor James-Mary Onuorah for Rape, Offenses Against a Minor
By Our Correspondent
Anambra State High Court 2, Ogidi Judicial Division, presided over by Justice Chudi Nwankwo, has convicted and sentenced James-Mary Onuorah to 25 years in prison for raping a 16-year-old girl.
The defendant was charged with multiple offenses under the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition and Protection) Law of 2017, including rape and offensive conduct, resulting in a total sentence of 32 years.
The accused, a church teacher at a parish in Iba Pope, Awada, manipulated the victim’s mother by claiming that marine spirits and spiritual husbands possessed her daughters, requiring deliverance at his residence. Under this pretext, the mother allowed her daughters to attend prayer sessions at the defendant’s home.
During these sessions, the defendant exploited his spiritual authority, luring the 16-year-old victim to his altar, where he ordered her to strip, claiming the Holy Spirit directed it.
He collected her menstrual blood and ovulation discharge, engaged in sexual intercourse with her, and falsely claimed that a spiritual husband caused fibroids in her womb, with the only cure being sex with him.
The victim later became pregnant and gave birth in April 2026, as evidenced by her hospital discharge document admitted to court. Although the defendant denied the charges, including allegations of similar acts against the victim’s elder sister, the court rejected his confessional statement for failing to follow proper legal procedures.
After reviewing the evidence, particularly the pregnancy and delivery, the court found that the prosecution proved the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
As a result, the defendant was sentenced to 25 years for rape and 7 years for offensive conduct, along with a fine of five million naira awarded as compensation to the victim.
