The catholic community in Enugu State has been thrown into shock following reports that a priest in the Diocese, Rev. Fr. Linus Okwu, flogged women, girls and other choir members of his church for allegedly failing to clear grasses within the church premises.
A report by TheNation says that Okwu, who is the parish priest of St. Bartholomew’s Catholic Church, Agbani in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, allegedly whipped the parishioners, comprising mothers, young men, ladies and teenagers.
The report said trouble started when the angry priest, armed with canes, interrupted a choir practice in his parish and demanded an explanation on why the church field was yet to be cleared.
Not satisfied with the responses he got, he ordered the choir members to kneel and started flogging them mercilessly.
One of the victims who pleaded anonymity said she went home with bruises.
She further stated that the shock would continue to live with her for a lifetime.
The source said: “The Priest, who was visibly furious while addressing the choir members told us that since we hardly comply with the teaching and instruction of the church, that he would apply the stick approach to ensure compliance.
“I was sitting on a row of seats where teenage members of our choir were, so, when he started flogging, I withdrew to the back seat with the hope that he wouldn’t flog adults and mothers amongst us, but to my surprise, he flogged everybody, including myself.
“When I tried to put up resistance, he told me that if my father flogs me at home when I wrong him, he also reserves the right to whip members of his congregation as the father of the church if they falter. I was badly bruised when he finished with me.”
As at the time of this report, the director of communication of the Enugu Catholic Diocese, Rev. Fr. Anthony Aneke is yet to react to the development.
