Anambra Court remand two reverend sisters for illegal adoption of child
The Children, Sexual, and Gender-Based Violence Court sitting in Awka, have remanded two reverend sisters of the Roman Catholic Church in police custody for illegal adoption of child.
The reverend sisters Angela Onyenachi Ibe (aged 42) and Chiemelie Jacinta Yvonne (Mother-General, aged 41) were remanded on on a four-count charge of conspiracy, obtaining by false pretense, punishable under sections 495(a) and 386 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 36, Volume II, the Revised Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria, 1991, and illegal dealings with children, as well as fraudulent adoption, punishable under section 30(2)(b) of the Child’s Rights Law of Anambra State, 2004.
According to Chidinma Ikeanyionwu, the media aide to the Anambra State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs. Ify Obinabo, the defendants each pleaded not guilty to the offenses when the charges were read to them to the satisfaction of the Honourable Court.
Ikeanyionwu stated that while the two Reverend Sisters were responding to questions during the arraignment, they stated that they both hailed from Imo State and belonged to a Catholic Congregation known as the St. Francis of Compassion and also based in Imo State, adding that they were staff members and attendants at the Sam Damian Community Children’s and Old People’s Home, located at Obosi in Anambra State.
She added that the Counsel to the defendants, in a bail application, prayed the Honourable Court to grant bail to the Reverend Sisters on the ground that they are Reverend Sisters of the Roman Catholic Church and would religiously attend their trials whenever called upon to appear before the Court.
Delivering a Ruling on the bail application, the presiding Chief Magistrate, Genevieve C. Osakwe, described the ground of bail application as very weak and unknown to Law.
The statement partly read, “The Honourable Court frowned upon and vehemently bemoaned what she termed the rising cases of illegal adoption and dealings with children in Anambra State, and called on the security agencies in the state, especially the police authorities, to extend their search, arrest, and prosecution of all persons involved in the management of illegal Community Children’s and Old People’s Homes across the state.”
