The Bayelsa State Police Command has arrested a 50-year-old pastor, Ambros Mark, over the alleged sexual defilement of two underage girls, aged 13 and 14, in Yenagoa, the state capital.
The police said the suspect, who leads Point of Redemption Church International, located behind the Amarata area of Yenagoa, had been arrested following a complaint and was being investigated for possible prosecution.
The victims are reportedly members of the church’s choir. One of them is a 13-year-old girl from Abia State, while the other is a 14-year-old indigene of Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Musa Mohammed, confirmed the arrest, saying the Divisional Police Officer of the ‘A’ Division acted after receiving the complaint.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
According to him, the suspect allegedly confessed to the offence during preliminary investigations.
“The suspect, upon arrest, confessed to the charge, and the division has been directed by the Commissioner of Police to transfer the case and the suspect to the State Police Headquarters for proper investigation and prosecution,” Mohammed said.
It was gathered that the case came to the attention of the police after the 14-year-old girl reportedly objected to the alleged sexual acts and informed her father, a police officer attached to the state command.
The father subsequently reported the matter to the police division, leading to the suspect’s arrest on Saturday.
Sources familiar with the incident also alleged that the pastor had previously been involved with underage girls. However, these allegations have not been independently established and are subject to investigation.
There were also allegations that attempts were made to settle the matter financially with the victims’ families, but the efforts reportedly failed after the parents of the 13-year-old girl refused to agree to such an arrangement.
Reacting to the incident, the Chairperson of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Bayelsa State chapter, Dr Boma Tonye Miebai, condemned the alleged abuse and confirmed that the organisation was following the case.
Miebai said FIDA was engaging within its mandate to protect the rights of the affected children and monitoring the legal process to ensure that their interests were safeguarded.
“We acknowledge the arrest of the alleged perpetrator and urge the relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure that the matter is diligently prosecuted in accordance with the law,” she said.
The FIDA chairperson said the organisation remained committed to protecting the rights of women and children, particularly in cases involving alleged sexual offences against minors.
She added that the affected children deserved safety, dignity, confidentiality and access to appropriate legal and psychosocial support throughout the investigation and any subsequent court proceedings.
“We reiterate that no religious title or position places anyone above the law. Our children deserve protection, and alleged sexual offences against them must never be concealed or trivialised,” Miebai said.
She assured that FIDA Bayelsa would continue to monitor the case to ensure that the rights and best interests of the children were upheld throughout the legal process.
Discussion about this post