By Sarah Ezeh
The Anambra State High Court, Ogidi Judicial Division, has sentenced a church choir master and teacher, James Mary Onuorah, to 25 years’ imprisonment for raping a 16-year-old girl after deceiving her family into believing she required spiritual deliverance.
Justice Chudi Nwankwo, who presided over High Court 2, convicted Onuorah on two counts of rape and offensive conduct, but acquitted him on a third count of indecent assault involving the victim’s elder sister.
The judgment, delivered in Charge No. HID/4C/2025 between the State and James Mary Onuorah, was made available to journalists in Awka on Monday.
The court sentenced the convict to 25 years’ imprisonment for rape and seven years for offensive conduct, with both jail terms to run concurrently.
It also ordered him to pay ₦5 million as compensation to the victim.
Onuorah was arraigned on a three-count charge of rape and offensive conduct under the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition and Protection) Law of Anambra State, 2017, as well as indecent assault under the Criminal Code.
According to the prosecution, led by M.C. Ikeabunze with Nkiru Nzekwu, the convict abused his position as a choir master and church teacher at Iba Pope Parish, Awada, to manipulate the victim’s family.
The prosecution told the court that Onuorah falsely claimed that the victim and her sisters were afflicted by “marine spirits” and “spiritual husbands” and needed special deliverance sessions at his residence on Amanafor Street, Awada.
Believing his claims, the victim’s mother allowed her daughters to attend the prayer sessions.
The court heard that during one of the sessions, Onuorah instructed the 16-year-old victim to remove her clothes, claiming it was “the direction of the Holy Spirit.”
He allegedly collected her menstrual blood and ovulation discharge before having sexual intercourse with her, claiming the act was necessary to free her from a “spiritual husband” responsible for fibroids.
The prosecution said the victim became pregnant and later gave birth to a baby in April 2026. A hospital discharge receipt confirming the birth was admitted as evidence during the trial.
Four witnesses testified for the prosecution, including the victim and her elder sister.
Although the defendant denied the allegations, the court rejected his confessional statement after holding that it was not obtained in compliance with Section 13 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Anambra State.
In his judgment,
Justice Nwankwo held that the prosecution established the offences of rape and offensive conduct beyond reasonable doubt.
He ruled that the victim’s testimony was credible, direct and remained consistent under cross-examination, adding that the evidence of her pregnancy and childbirth strongly corroborated her account.
During sentencing, the prosecution urged the court to impose the punishment prescribed under the Violence Against Persons Law and award compensation to the victim, while the defendant pleaded for leniency in his allocutus.
Justice Nwankwo, however, sentenced Onuorah to 25 years’ imprisonment for rape and seven years for offensive conduct, with the sentences to run concurrently. The court also awarded ₦5 million in compensation to the victim.
The court, however, discharged and acquitted the defendant on the count of indecent assault involving the victim’s elder sister, ruling that the prosecution failed to prove the allegation beyond reasonable doubt due to the absence of any report or complaint relating to the alleged 2014 incident.
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