Ebonyi pastor under investigation for attempting to use his wife as ritual sacrifice

DETECTIVES from the Ebonyi State Police Command have begun investigating clergyman Pastor Uchenna Joseph after his wife claimed that he planned to sacrifice her for ritual purposes.

 

Pastor Joseph from Abakaliki and his wife Patience had their wedding introduction in 2014 and were planning for a church wedding when the wife got pregnant and gave birth to a boy about seven months ago. Now, Patience is claiming that her spouse was instrumental to the torture she received from a five-man team who after gang-raping her, also attempted to kill her for ritual purposes.

 

However, the cleric has debunked the allegation describing it as a conspiracy and a ploy to get unnecessary attention from members of the public as he was yet to complete the required money meant to pay as dowry on his wife. Apparently, the cleric was a spiritual guardian to one of his in-laws Mrs Martins Chinyenren until their relationship turned sour over the allegation by Patience about her husband’s misdemeanour.

 

According to Mrs. Chinyenren, the couple travelled to Port Harcourt three months ago against the wish of Patience’s parents to visit a pastor friend, Quintus David who was the head of a church at Nwigwe Close. After a long stay, they also tried to assist in the growth of the ministry but along the line, there was communication gap between Patience and her family as she was no longer in touch with them.

 

According to Mrs Chinyenren, she got a distress call from Patience one day claiming she had been subjected to inhuman treatment by her husband and his friends and sent the church address in Port Harcourt requesting her to come immediately to her rescue before it was too late. She traced the church address to a room apartment where she met her sister half dead and she raised the alarm which is presently generating controversies in the families.

 

It was gathered that Patience and son were returned to Ilisan Remo for medical attention after which the matter was lodged at Ilisan Remo Police Division for investigations but the family is presently accusing the Nigeria Police Force of handling the matter with levity. However, a source at the division said the police was conducting a thorough investigation on the case.

 

Patience is said to be still undergoing both medical and spiritual treatment in Ilishan Remo and she has vowed not to return to her cleric husband. She added that she has spent all her earnings on the marriage which has almost cost her life and I will never return to Pastor Joseph's home.