Court Convicts Choirmaster for Sexual Assault Under Guise of Deliverance
An Anambra State High Court sitting in Ogidi has sentenced James Onuorah, a choirmaster at Iba Pope Catholic Parish in Awada, to 25 years in prison for raping a 16-year-old girl under the pretence of conducting a spiritual deliverance. The court also handed him an additional seven-year sentence for offensive conduct, following a three-count charge that included rape and related offences under the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition and Protection) Law of Anambra State, 2017.
Presiding Judge Chudi Nwankwo delivered the verdict on Friday, July 17, 2026, after finding that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt. The victim, who was 16 at the time of the assault, later became pregnant and gave birth to a baby in April 2026. Her hospital discharge receipt was admitted as evidence during the trial.
How the Deception Unfolded
According to the prosecution, led by M.C. Ikeabunze and Nkiru Nzekwu, Onuorah told the victim's mother that all her daughters were under the influence of marine spirits and spiritual husbands, and that they required deliverance at his private residence on Amanafor Street, Awada. Trusting his claims, the mother permitted her daughters to attend prayer sessions at his home.
The prosecution narrated in the charge sheet that Onuorah subsequently lured the 16-year-old to his altar, instructed her to undress under the claim that it was "the direction of the Holy Spirit," and collected her menstrual blood and ovulation discharge. He then had sexual intercourse with her, telling her that a spiritual husband had caused fibroids in her womb and that sex with him was the only remedy.
The victim became pregnant as a result of the assault and gave birth in April 2026. The prosecution also alleged that Onuorah committed a similar act against the victim's elder sister, who testified as the first prosecution witness.
Court Finds Testimony Credible
Four prosecution witnesses were called in total, including the victim, who testified as Prosecution Witness 4. Onuorah denied all the allegations during cross-examination, but the court rejected his position. Judge Nwankwo held that the victim's testimony was "direct, consistent and unshaken under cross-examination."
Onuorah served as a choirmaster and church teacher at Iba Pope Catholic Parish in Awada, near Onitsha, according to Premium Times. The case has drawn attention to the exploitation of religious beliefs to commit sexual offences.
