A Rivers State-based cleric, Pastor Piller Erekwa of the Glorious Covenant Church, on Thursday, pleaded guilty to one count charge of sexual abuse preferred against him by the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) at the Magistrate Court 1, Port Harcourt.
The case was presided over by Chief Magistrate Ogeh Elkanah at the Rivers State family court.
The pastor pleaded guilty when the charge was read to him that he sexually abused a 15-year- old girl at Mgbuola village in Ndele between December 2022 and January 2023, thereby committing an offence punishable by law of Rivers State.
The Magistrate, however, adjourned the matter to July 19, 2023 for facts and sentencing.
Pastor Erekwa was arrested last week Thursday at Ndele by operatives of Rumuji Police Division over rape of the 15-year-old girl who became pregnant as a result of his action.
He was later transferred to State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) for further investigation.
Meanwhile, the National Coordinator of the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, Prince Wiro, commended the Police for charging the suspect to court.
Wiro equally commended the family of the rape survivor for not bowing to pressure to settle the matter out of court.
The Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign and Lawyers Watch for Justice International Initiative are two key human rights groups in Rivers State that closely followed police investigation and arraignment of the suspect.