Outrage as Enugu Catholic priest reportedly flogs women, choir members

Rev. Fr. Linus Okwu, a priest in the Enugu Catholic Diocese, is claimed to have flogged members of the church, including women, girls, and choir members, for allegedly neglecting to remove grass from the church’s grounds.

According to reports, Okwu is the parish priest of St. Bartholomew’s Catholic Church in Agbani, which is located in Enugu State’s Nkanu West Local Government Area.

The clergyman allegedly whipped the parishioners, who included moms, young men, women, and teenagers, according to The Nation.

The incident began, according to the story, when the irate priest—armed with canes—broke up a choir practice in his parish and wanted to know why the church field hadn’t been cleared yet.

He started flogging the choir members mercilessly after telling them to kneel since he was not happy with their answers.

One victim, who begged to remain anonymous, claimed she had bruises when she got home.

The victim went on to say that she would carry the shock with her forever.

“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,” the victim said.

Rev. Fr. Anthony Aneke, the Diocese’s director of communication, has not yet responded to the incident.

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