The Nigerian Catholic priest who was last October charged with two counts of rape has been freed of the charges after the virtual complainant told the court that she allowed him to have sex with her.
The priest, Kizito Igwebudul, 35, was freed on Thursday after a preliminary inquiry in which the Family Court upheld a no case submission.
The hearing was held in camera, as is the case with all proceedings in sexual offences.
However, iWitness News understands that there was no evidence of rape in the case and the virtual complainant, said to be a teenaged girl, admitted under cross examination that she “allowed” the priest to have sex with her.
The prosecution presented no evidence of force, threats, inducement or otherwise, iWitness News was reliably informed.
Igwebudul was also freed of two counts of indecent assault involving the same virtual complainant, who was 15 years and 10 months old at the time. The age of consent in St. Vincent and the Grenadines is 15.
Defence counsel Ronald “Ronnie” Marks, represented Igwebudul during the preliminary inquiry, a process through which a magistrate decides if there is enough evidence to send a matter to trial before a judge and jury.
The maximum penalty for rape is life imprisonment, a notional sentence of 30 years.
However, while Igwebudul’s legal troubles are over, he might come in for discipline by his church in light of the VC’s statement that she “allowed” him to have sex with her.
Catholic priests take a vow of celibacy and are expected to refrain from all sexual activities.
(This article was updated to include Igwebudul’s age, that of the virtual complainant, as well as the age of consent.)
That celibacy thing is contra natura!! It is unnatural and should be removed.
So a man who was not marry before he becomes a priest cannot be married after becoming one?
Pure nonesense.
When a dog sucks eggs, he na stop. This will happen again and again.