Catholic priest in prison over assault on policemen

A Catholic priest was, yesterday,
remanded in prison custody over alleged
attack on policemen investigating issues
arising from the crisis in his parish in
EnuguState. The priest, who was arraigned alongside
three other parishioners, was charged with
assault and unlawful attempt to kill one
Inspector Cosmos Nzeribe and a team of
police officers attached to police
headquarters, Enugu. The Enugu Magistrate’s Court, which
remanded the priest was, however,
besieged by hundreds of his supporters,
who wore long faces as the priest was being
taken to the prison. He was said to be having a running battle
with the Bishop of Awgu Catholic Diocese. Presiding Magistrate, E.M. Egumgbe,
remanded the suspects in prison custody,
saying that they can apply for bail in a high
court. Counsel to the priest, Ray Nnaji, who spoke
with newsmen after the court session, said
that his client was sent to prison on
trumped up charges. Nnaji said the policemen beat up the priest
after stripping him naked and detained him. He said: “I have been following this matter
for some time. “We know quite well that beating up the
police is condemnable, though the priest
has said he has no business with beating the
police and did not tell anyone to beat the
police.”