PORT HARCOURT – A Port Harcourt based Pastor identified simply as Udechukwu, has been remanded in custody of the Port Harcourt Correctional Center over attempted murder, assault of a 64 year old man identified as Chief Gerald Okpara Obinozie…CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
The pastor was remanded by an Oyigbo Chief Magistrate Court, following his attack on the victim at One Ward Estate, Umuebule 4, Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The court before remanding the pastor, arraigned him on four counts bordering on conspiracy, assault occasioning harm, malicious damage and attempted murder.
The Pastor and his accomplice, Prince Thompson who is still at large, allegedly led over 30 members of the church, armed with various dangerous weapons to attack the 64 years old victim, inflicting matchet cuts on him, bated him with fuel and forced him to drink the urine of female members of the church.
They claimed that the victim, Chief Gerald Okwara Obinozie, had been oppressing some residents in their estate.
Reacting to the development, the Coordinator, Rivers State Response Team on Violence Against Women and Children, Tombari Dumka-Kote, hailed the decision of the court, while condemning the action reportedly carried out by the pastor and his church members.
Dumka-Kote, emphasized that there is no justification for violence, and subjecting the 64 year old to all manner of inhuman treatment, stripping him naked, videoing and have the videos posted on social media platforms, defaming him on false allegations, and handing him half dead to the Police after his colleague escaped and raised an calling on residents to come out.
He recalled that the Oyigbo Chief Magistrate Court on the 30th of June 2025, also remanded two other suspects, Okwudiri Justice and Victor Emmanuel Okoli on related charges linked to this same matter.
A statement made available to the press and signed by Rivers State Response Team On Violence Against Women & Children Communication and Public Enlightenment officer, Queeneth Igbara on Friday, also called on the Rivers State Commissioner of Police to ensure the arrest of one of the fleeing prime suspects Prince Thompson.
The Team regretted that people after committing crime still try to justify their actions and frowned at the alarming level of violence in the State within the last two months, hinting that the Team will follow the matter until justice is served.
“As a Team, we are committed to curbing the growing menace of sexual and gender based violence in Rivers State, and suspects must be made to face the law to serve as a deterrent to others,” the statement reads in part.
the victim, Chief Gerald Okwara is currently recovering from the trauma and injuries sustained during the attack on him.
The Centre for Justice, Empowerment and Development (C4J), Together to Win Foundation for the Deprived (T2W), and CAP-WIN Foundation were also at the Oyigbo Chief Magistrate Court.
Narrating his ordeal to newsmen, Chief Gerald Okwara Obinozie, expressed his appreciation to God for keeping him alive despite the incident, as the mob was sent to kill him.
The 64 year old man wept while narrating how female church members urinated in buckets and forced him to drink after being accused of trying to vandalize the church transformer…CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
