A pastor of a new generation church in Abuja was on Thursday arraigned before an Abuja Chief Magistrate Court, Karu for allegedly molesting young female members.
Pastor Basil Princewill, the General Overseer of the Mountain Movers Fire Ministries International, Nyanya, Abuja was arraigned by the Commissioner of Police, FCT command alongside Ms Paulyn Ode, the church coordinator on charges of conspiracy, criminal impersonation, criminal intimidation, and criminal force and assault.
The pastor was accused of having carnal knowledge of two 14 year-old female members of the church under pretense of offering them prayers in July, 2011 and later aborted the pregnancy of one this year at the Fountain Health Clinic, Nyanya, Abuja after telling doctors he is her father.
According to the charge which was transferred from the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) where parents of the victims lodged initial complaints, the pastor also parades himself as a lawyer.
When the charges were read to the accused persons, they denied the allegations.
Consequently, defence counsel Uchenna Anayo applied for bail of the accused persons which was opposed by Police counsel Oyewusi Abiola.
Magistrate Ahmed Shuaibu ruled in favour of the defence and granted bail to the accused persons in the sum of N2 million and two sureties in like sum.
The sureties, the judge said, must be civil servants of no less than Grade Level 15 and must have a property in Abuja valued at not less than N5 million.
He consequently adjourned the case to July 25 for hearing.
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