The Rivers State Government has taken over the prosecution of Pastor Felix Okpara Duruebube, the founder of Mercy House Church International accused of defiling a 16-year-old girl.
This follows the leak of an audio conversation between the cleric and a minor on social media.
The office of the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice will henceforth handle the police charges against him.
Recall that the 39-year-old pastor had been remanded in Port Harcourt Correctional Centre by a Magistrate Court sitting in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) arraigned Duruebube on a two-count charge bothering on rape and unlawful administration of oath on the victim.
Duruebube is said to have forced the minor to take an oath not to sleep with another man or tell anybody about the illegal love affair; otherwise, she would run mad and die.
The charges state that the defendant allegedly defiled the teen between April 2021 and May 2022.
He is accused of committing sexual abuse at RayJPE Hotel Rumuokoro, Mercy House Church branch Iwofe, and No..42A road 12 Rumuahulu, Port Harcourt.
Chief Magistrate N. Anugbum had adjourned the case till August 18 after Duruebube failed to fulfil bail conditions, including two sureties in the like sum of N2 million.
Reacting, the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) in Rivers advised Nigerians to be careful of the religious centres they attendas they vowed to follow the matter to ensure justice prevailed.
