![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-300x200.jpg "Is Anthony Odiong still a priest after life in prison sentence over rape?")
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has dragged one Mr Adeolu Olayinka, a staff member of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, to court for secretly including his wife and son on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) portal of the ministry between 2023 and 2024.
Olayinka was arraigned before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday on a three-count bordering on money laundering charges.
In a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CR/584/2024, the commission accused Olayinka of acquiring millions of naira by including his wife and son on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) portal of the ministry between 2023 and 2024 and corruptly receiving salaries through his wife’s and son’s accounts, thereby committing an offence of money laundering.
One of the counts against him read: “That you, Oseni Adeolu Olayinka (M), Executive Officer, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Abuja, between January 2023 and April 2024 or thereabout, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, indirectly took possession of the sum of N2,843,524.41K (Two Million, Eight Hundred and Forty-Three Thousand, Five Hundred and Twenty-Four Naira, Forty-One Kobo) through the Stanbic IBTC Bank account number 0040450514 belonging to your wife, Mrs. Mngohol Christiana Agaku, which funds you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: corruption, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2) (d) and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
Olayinka, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges read to him.
This prompted his counsel, Paul Asimiakeokha, to move an application for him to be granted bail on very liberal terms, which was not opposed by the prosecution counsel, C.K. Igwedibia.
Ruling on the bail application, Justice Egwuatu committed the defendant to a N5 million bond with a surety who must be a civil servant not below grade level 12 in the federal civil service.
Additionally, the presiding judge said that the surety must provide his/her employment and promotion letters and must have a landed property in Abuja, which must be verified.
The matter has been adjourned to the 29th of April for the commencement of trial.
![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 "Is Anthony Odiong still a priest after life in prison sentence over rape?")
