The Uyo Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday, November 16, 2020, arraigned one Promise Ben Ekpo before Justice Agatha Okeke of the Federal High Court, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on one-count charge of obstruction of justice.
Ekpo had in December 2018, stood as surety for one Awesome Ememobong, who is facing prosecution by the Uyo Zonal Office of the EFCC for alleged fraud and upon securing her bail, allegedly aided her to be on the run and has not been able to produce her in court, two years on.
The charge read, “That you Promise Ben Ekpo (“M”), between December 2018 and October 2020 in Uyo within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did willfully obstruct authorized officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from arresting and prosecution of one Awesome Ememobong of Onna LGA of Akwa Ibom State, whom you took on bail as surety by shielding her from arrest and prosecution in order to aid and facilitate her escape from the authorized officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and thereby committed an offence contrary to provisions of Section 38 (2) (a) of the EFCC Establishment Act, 2004 and punishable under Section 38 (2) (b) of the same Act.”
He pleaded “not guilty” to the charge, upon which prosecuting counsel, Nwandu Ukoha, prayed the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Service facility, Uyo, while defence counsel, Akan Imoh Ukpe made an oral application for his bail, which the court rejected.
The matter was adjourned till November 30, 2020, for hearing of bail application while the defendant was remanded in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Services pending the hearing of his bail application.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
