A 65-year-old pastor, Francis Ogwu, has been handed over to policemen in Anambra State for defiling his seven-year-old domestic help in Awka, the state capital.

Ogwu was arrested on Thursday by police operatives, following an alarm raised by concerned residents of the community, which drew the attention of the state Ministry of Women and Social Welfare.

The suspect, who hails from Imo State, is said to be the pastor and General Overseer of Jesus House of Joy Church, Awka, but has lived with his wife and children in Anambra for over 30 years.

Ọgwụ, during interrogations, confessed to the Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo, that he “just fingered the girl once” but denied other allegations of penetration as against what the seven-year-old victim said.

On why he defiled the child, the suspect explained, “I was tempted because my wife usually gives excuses that she’s fasting whenever I want to have quality time with her.”

Meanwhile, the seven-year-old victim who narrated her side of the story, told the commissioner that her guardian (the suspect) had carnal knowledge of her three times of which he usually gives her money ranging from N500 to N1,000 after each experience.

She also said that at some point, she was accused by the pastor’s wife of snatching the husband from her, revealing that what prompted her to leave was the beating she got by the suspect’s daughter.

The victim’s mother, a native of Awka, stated that she handed the daughter over to the Ogwu family because of the relationship they have had over time, but was shocked when her daughter returned to her and told her of the development.

She revealed that she quickly called the suspect, who, upon arrival, denied the allegations, which prompted her to involve other persons by raising the alarm.

Reacting to the incident, the Women and Social Welfare Commissioner, Obinabo, vowed to see that the seven-year-old gets the deserved justice and advised women to always be vigilant and stop sex starving their husbands as that could lead to bad behaviours of some men.

Obinabo, who charged women to always protect their girl child at all costs, noted that defilement is no longer excusable in the state.

Later, family members of the suspect visited the office of the commissioner, pleading for pardon, but were asked to head to the police as the case would be charged to court.