Detained Catholic priest released from prison custody

[SunNews]

From PETRUS OBI, Enugu

An Enugu High Court sitting in Awgu, has granted bail to Rev. Fr. James Ani who was remanded in prison alongside six others in the wake of the crisis that pitched the priest of St. Theresa Catholic Parish against the Awgu Diocese led by Rt. Rev. John Okoye.

Rev. Fr. Ani was arraigned for alleged kidnap, armed robbery and attempted murder and later remanded at the Enugu prisons after some policemen who went to arrest him, were attacked by angry parishioners at St. Theresa's, Maku.

But following a bail application filed by counsel to the priest, Ray Nnaji, the High Justice Eddy Onyia granted bail to         Rev. Fr. Ani and six of his parishioners.

In the application, Nnaji stated that the applicant, who is an ordained Catholic Reverend Father  was innocent of the offences against him and was at the Parish house in Maku reading his spiritual books, when the alleged offence took place.  He also averred that the priest neither partook nor sent any person or group of persons to commit any crime against any person including the police.

He further deposed: "That the applicant before the ugly incident had been having serious religious problem with the Catholic bishop of Awgu Diocese, Rt. Rev John Okoye, which led to an unsuccessful kidnap attempt on the applicant in February 2011.

"That the incident of February 2011 equally gave rise to two suits at the Federal High Court, Enugu against the said bishop, the Inspector-General of Police and others including some Rev. Fathers.

"That after judgment was given in favour of the applicant, the bishop as the sole trustee of the Awgu Catholic Diocese instituted a civil action at the Magistrate Court, Awgu, against the applicant for the recovery of possession of Maku Parish House.

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