Shocking! Pastor Allegedly Beats Church Member’s 13-Year-Old Daughter To Death Over Alleged N30,000 Theft

0

…”I Only Wanted Him To Counsel Her,” The Grieving Mother Says

LAGOS – What began as an al­legation of the theft of N30,000 ended in a tragedy that has left a family shattered and a communi­ty in disbelief.

Thirteen-year-old Nancy Peter allegedly died after being brutal­ly beaten by her family’s pastor in Cross River State, in an inci­dent that has sparked outrage over child abuse disguised as discipline and renewed calls for justice.

The victim, the daughter of one of the Pastor Roman Sam­son Okoye’s church members, was allegedly taken to the cler­ic’s residence by her mother for counselling after she was accused of repeatedly stealing money. But rather than ending with confes­sion, correction or reconcilia­tion, the visit allegedly turned fatal.

Detectives are now piecing together the circumstances sur­rounding the teenager’s death, while grieving relatives and residents demand that anyone found culpable should face the full weight of the law.

The Cross River State Police Command confirmed the inci­dent, saying it has arrested the 45-year-old Roman Samson, Gen­eral Overseer of Goodness of Jesus Ministry in the Wula area of Boki Local Government Area, in connection with the teenager’s death.

The victim’s mother, Agnes Pe­ter, was also taken into custody as detectives commenced investiga­tions into the circumstances that culminated in the fatal incident.

Police source disclosed that the tragedy occurred on June 1 after the teenager’s mother al­legedly accused her daughter of stealing N30,000 from her.

According to the police source attached to the Homicide Sec­tion of the Command, the dis­traught woman reportedly took Nancy to the pastor’s residence after complaining that previous counselling sessions had failed to stop what she described as her daughter’s repeated acts of theft and other troubling behaviour.

“It happened on June 1 when the mother brought her 13-year-old daughter to the pastor’s house over an allegation that she stole N30,000,” the source said. “The woman later left the girl in the pastor’s care, but before she returned, the pastor alleged­ly flogged the teenager with a horsewhip. By the time he rushed her to the hospital, she was con­firmed dead.”

That account, however, is sharply disputed by both sus­pects, each offering a different version of what transpired inside the pastor’s residence on the day the teenager lost her life.

Pastor Ramon told newsmen that he is the founder and Gen­eral Overseer of the Goodness of Jesus Ministry.

He said, “Before I started my own ministry, I have worked at different ministries. I started my own ministry some years back. I met Mrs. Peter about four years ago when she had a misunder­standing with her husband. She had three children for the hus­band but she was sent away by the man. I don’t know what happened between them. The man was not a member of my church. It was only the woman and her children that were attending my church. When the woman came, she had nothing. She was rejected by the husband with two children. I began to fund their schools and their upkeep.

“God answered the woman’s prayer through me and she started selling fish. The girl had been stealing her mother’s mon­ey. Each time she complained, I would appeal to her to remain calm. I would call the girl and scold her. That happened more than twenty times.”

The pastor further narrated, “On the first of June this year, she brought the girl to my house her­self. The woman complained that she had stolen her money again. She also complained that she was also in the habit of sleeping away from home. She told me that the girl stole her N30,000 (thirty thousand naira) and asked that I should beat her. She also stat­ed that she already beat her but wanted me to also beat her.”

The pastor claimed, “I went for my horsewhip and started beating her. I only gave her about thirteen to fifteen strokes when I discovered that the girl became very weak. I quickly rushed her to the hospital but she died when we got to the hospital.”

Pastor Roman regretted, “I feel very sad. I didn’t want to kill her. It was her mum that insisted that I must beat her. She was like a daughter to me.”

The mother of the deceased girl, Mrs. Agnes Peter, a resident of Obanleku of Boki Local Gov­ernment Area, however, denied that she told the pastor to flog her daughter.

She calmed that she only took her to the pastor for counselling and prayer.

Agnes, a mother of three chil­dren said, “It is true that I took my daughter to the pastor after I discovered that my N30,000 was missing from where I kept it. That was not the first time that she had stolen my money and that was not the first time that I reported her to the pastor.”

She continued, “That day, I took her to my pastor’ s house, when she refused to disclose where she kept my money but while we were at the pastor’ s house, she confessed to stealing the money and even told me that she kept the money in one of her trousers.

“That was when I quickly stood up to go and confirm where she kept the money and I found my N30,000 in the pocket of one of her trousers. The pastor had not beaten her, when I left to search where she kept the money. It was when I was coming (back) that I saw him rushing my daughter to the hospital. I met him on the way.”

She also stated that she didn’t tell him to kill her daughter. “I have reported her to the pastor before and I only wanted him to help scold her and counsel her. I was not there when he beat my daughter to death. I only saw when he was taking her to the hospital,” she said.

Spokesperson of the Cross Riv­er State Police Command, ASP Eitokpah Sunday, confirmed the arrest of the suspects and reaf­firmed the commitment of the command to ensuring the safety of lives and property of residents of the state.

The police image maker said, “The Cross River State Police Command appreciates the In­spector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, for his un­wavering support towards opera­tional effectiveness, intelligence gathering, tactical policing, and the provision of strategic re­sources that have continued to strengthen the command’s capac­ity to combat kidnapping, violent crimes, and other emerging secu­rity threats.

“The command acknowledges that the sustained intelligence and operational support from the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force have significantly enhanced crime-fighting efforts across Cross River State.

“The command notes that the successes recorded by its opera­tives in various operations are a testament to the professional­ism, bravery, and dedication of officers and men who continue to deploy intelligence-driven strat­egies in denying criminal ele­ments the opportunity to operate.

“The Inspector-General’s vi­sionary leadership, emphasis on proactive policing, and com­mitment to equipping personnel have continued to inspire confi­dence and deliver tangible secu­rity outcomes within the State.”

He said, “The Cross River State Police Command under the leadership of CP Rashid Bel­lo Afegbua assures residents of its unwavering commitment to sustaining the ongoing offensive against criminality and disman­tling all criminal networks op­erating within the State and its environs.

“The Command, therefore, urg­es members of the public to con­tinue partnering with the Police by providing timely, credible, and actionable information, which remains critical to the collective effort of safeguarding lives and property.”