Nigerian pastor arraigned for running away with married woma

A Nigeria court has begun hearing the case of one cleric, Peter Ododa, who allegedly eloped with a
member of his church, a married woman. The Complainant’s Counsel, Mr Sunday Ijiga, told
the Upper Area Court in Mararaba, Nasarawa State that his client, whose name he gave simply as Mr
Okpara, got married to his wife on March 28, 2008,
only for her to disappear in 2012. “He said his wife Grace Okpara had shortly after
their wedding joined the Holy Family Praying
Ministry in New Karu. “He said also that after he was once invited by his
wife to the prayer house, he had since then been
uncomfortable with the place. “His wife continued visiting the prayer house, and
suddenly started behaving strangely. Later in
September 2011, she abandoned her husband and
eloped with the accused who is the Lead Pastor at
the church,’’ Ijiga said. The counsel said that Okpara later reported his
ordeal to the District Head of New Karu, who
summoned Ododa and made him return Grace to
her husband. Ijiga said that from
investigation, it was revealed
that the pastor eloped with Grace finally in 2012. “In spite of all the interventions and warnings from
different parties, he refused to produce Okpara’s
wife for him,’’ the lawyer said. In his response, Ododa pleaded not guilty and
insisted that Grace was not in his custody. The Judge, Mr Vincent Gwahemba, ordered Okpara
to produce his witnesses at the case’s next hearing
date. He also invited the district head to be at the next hearing of the case. The judge asked for further investigations into the
case and adjourned the matter to February 20 for
ruling. [PM News]