S@x Scandal: Court Remands Bishop in Correctional Center in Ebonyi

From Nabob Ogbonna, Abakaliki

A magistrate court sitting in Abakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi State on Tuesday remanded Sam Onyeagoziri Ndubueze, the Bishop of Champion Cathedral, to the Abakaliki Correctional Center for having unlawful carnal knowledge of a female (name withheld) in the city.

The accused Bishop was brought before the court by the Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Uche Anya, who acted as the complainant in a four-count charge sheet.

The charges include threats, falsehood, fraud, and the circulation of pornographic photos of a female, all punishable under Section 20(1) of the Ebonyi State Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law 2018, as amended in 2024.

The trial magistrate, Court 2 Abakaliki, Chima Nkechi Happiness, ordered that the Bishop be remanded at the Abakaliki Correctional Center because the matter exceeds the jurisdiction of the magistrate’s court.

She also directed the transfer of the original case file, evidence, and all related documents to the Department of Public Prosecution for further action.

According to Charge Sheet Number 547c/2025, made available to journalists, the allegations read:

“That you, Sam Onyeagoziri Ndubueze (M), sometime in 2021 at Mile 50 Layout, Abakaliki, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did have unlawful carnal knowledge of one female (name withheld), having obtained her consent by means of threats and false and fraudulent representations, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 358 of the Criminal Code, Cap 33 Vol. 1, Law of Ebonyi State, Nigeria.

Count 2: That you, Sam Onyeagoziri Ndubueze (M), on the same date, place, and magisterial district, did threaten the life of one female (name withheld) with a gun, causing her extreme fear, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 12(1)(a)(b) of the Ebonyi State Internal Security Enforcement and Related Matters Law 2009.

Count 3: That you, Sam Onyeagoziri Ndubueze (M), on the same date, place, and magisterial district, knowingly sent messages by means of computer systems that were pornographic, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 24(2)(i) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015, as amended in 2024.

Count 4: That you, Sam Onyeagoziri Ndubueze (M), on the same date, place, and magisterial district, emotionally and psychologically abused one female (name withheld) by causing her nude photographs to be circulated on social media, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 20(1) of the Ebonyi State Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law 2018.”

Insideoutnews has learned that the victim was lured into the act by the Bishop under the pretense of healing her sickle cell condition.