A Magistrates Court in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital, on Tuesday ordered the remand of the embattled cleric, Bishop Sam Onyeagoziri Ndubueze, spiritual head of Champion Cathedral, at the Abakaliki Correctional Center for his alleged involvement in a sexual assault.
It is learned that the cleric was accused of having illegal carnal knowledge of a woman (name withheld) in the state.
Ndubueze was arraigned before the Magistrate’s Court 2, Abakaliki, on a four-count charge bordering on threats, false and fraudulent representation and circulation of pornographic materials, offenses punishable under various provisions of the Ebonyi State Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, 2018 and other related laws as amended in 2024.
Ruling on the matter, the trial magistrate, Ms Chima Nkechi Happiness, ordered that the accused be remanded in custody at the Abakaliki Correctional Centre, noting that the Court of First Instance lacks jurisdiction to hear the case.
He further ordered that the original case file, evidence and all relevant documents be transferred to the Department of Public Prosecutions for further legal action.
According to charge sheet number 547C/2025, it is alleged that the accused, sometime in 2021 at Mile 50 Layout, Abakaliki, “had unlawful carnal knowledge of a woman (name withheld) after obtaining her consent by threats and false representations”, an offense punishable under Section 358 of the Penal Code, Cap 33 Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria.
The second charge alleged that the cleric threatened the life of the victim with a weapon, causing him extreme fear, in contravention of Section 12(1)(a)(b) of the Ebonyi State Internal Security Enforcement and Related Matters Act, 2009.
The third charge stated that Ndubueze “knowingly sent pornographic messages by means of a computer system”, in contravention of Section 24(2)(i) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015, as amended in 2024.
In the fourth charge, he was accused of emotionally and psychologically abusing the victim by circulating her nude photographs on social media, an act punishable under Section 20(1) of the Ebonyi State Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2018.
It emerged that the victim was allegedly lured into action after the cleric promised to cure her of sickle cell anemia.
Subsequently, the trial magistrate adjourned the matter to November 4, 2025 for further hearing.