Court adjourns rape case against pastor to May 9

A Plateau State high court has adjourned the case of a 15-year-old girl who was allegedly raped by one pastor, Augustine Nzeocha of Beauty of Christ Church and three others to May 9th for hearing, following an application by the prosecution to serve the first, second and third accused with hearing notice.
The Director of Public Prosecution Gedaliah Fomyon yesterday told the court that only Pastor Nzeocha who is the fourth accused was present in court because the court bailiff had been unable to serve the hearing notice on the first, second and third accused persons, having tried twice.
The first accused, one James Emeka is alleged to have drugged, raped and taken  nude pictures of the victim which he transferred to the second accused, one Ikechukwu Samuel. The second accused had also allegedly transferred the nude pictures of the teenager to the third accused, one Favour Mgbeafuluike who in turn circulated it to members of the community.
However, during preliminary investigations, the victim had alleged that the fourth accused, who is her pastor, had raped her in 2014 while claiming it was an act of deliverance from evil.  
Counsel to the fourth accused, Amaka Eze of Solomon Umoh (SAN) chambers had told the court that the fourth accused was only served with hearing notice before the matter was struck out by the court in September but Justice Daniel Lonji of High Court 8 stressed that it was a criminal matter and the matter had been relisted.