The Criminal Court “C” has transferred the statutory rape charge levied against indicted Nigerian Pastor Revival Womo Sam under the jurisdiction of the Criminal Court “E”.
The Pastor who runs the Global Revival Movement has been indicted for statutory rape, trafficking in person and kidnapping of a 12 – year – old girl placed in his care by her mother for spiritual cleansing back in 2016.
But prosecutors say all sexual offense cases including rape are exclusively under the jurisdiction of Criminal Court “E”, or Rape Court, thus requesting Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie to limit the ongoing trial at Court “C” to kidnapping and trafficking in person.
This means upon the completion of the ongoing trial at Court “C”, the indictee will stand further trial at Court “E” to answer to the charge of statutory rape. Following the reading of the indictment Wednesday, 20 February, Pastor Sam pleaded not guilty to the two charges of kidnapping and trafficking in person.
Defendant Pastor Revival Womo Sam allegedly raped the girl at his Diggsville residence while the victim was just aged 12 years in 2016, resulting to her pregnancy.
Prosecutors accuse the indictee of changing the name of the victim and travelling with her to Nigeria without her parents’ consent.
When the victim’s mother travelled to Nigeria in June 2018 and confronted her daughter about her condition, the indictment says the kid confessed to her mother that Pastor Sam had allegedly impregnated her.
Further the indictment says when Pastor Sam was confronted by the victim’s mother, he also allegedly admitted to the act and expressed his wish that the victim becomes his wife.
Defendant Pastor Sam was arrested here by police when he returned to Liberia and indicted for multiple charges.In a related development, Court “C” has commenced jury selection for the trial of Pastor Sam, following his plea of not guilty Wednesday.Prosecutors say they want 15 men and women to serve as trial of facts in the proceedings.
By Winston W. Parley
