By NewsCritic Reporters
The founder of the church of Lucifer, Ohafia, Ifekwe Udo granted bail by the federal high court Umuahia eight days back has been released from prison custody after perfecting his bail conditions. However, in a new twist of fate the accused could not return home because the community has banished him from the village.
Hon Justice E. Asiago of the federal high court, Umuahia, had granted the accused, Ifekwe bail along with 17 others in the sum of N1 million each with two sureties in like manner, one of which must be a traditional ruler or recognised chief from Ohafia and a senior civil servant. He also ruled that the address of the sureties must be verified to ensure that the accused present themselves for trial.
However, the third accused who is the founder of the church of Lucifer Ohafia could not get any chief from Ohafia to surety him because of the sensitive nature of his case. This led to his lawyer, Ibeka Esq approaching the court for bail verification and the bail conditions was adjusted to include any traditional ruler or chief and civil servant from Abia State, not limited to Ohafia alone.
Following the adjustments, the defence counsel and the family of the 3rd defendant, Ifekwe Udo were able to get a surety from Umuahia, who signed the bail bond for his release. The defence counsel, Ibeka, was former deputy commissioner of Police who served at zone 9 Headquarters, Umuahia, before retiring. He was said to have used his contacts to get people to surety the accused and secure his release from prison custody last night.
But after his release, the church of Lucifer founder could not return home because his community has signed his banishment order. He was consequently taken to Okigwe, Imo State by Barrister Ibeka where he is staying pending when he will be able to reconcile with the community.
Sources within the Ohafia community where Ifekwe’s church was built and later destroyed by irate youths, told NewsCritic that any attempt by the accused to return home now and go against the banishment order would be disastrous because “they might lynch him”.
Sources said that apart from demolishing the church of Lucifer building, the community is demanding that his brothel in Ohafia must shut down, among other demands.
Competent family sources said these are some of the issues that need to be resolved before they could accept him back in the community.
