JUST IN: Sickle Cell Advocate Withdraws Petition Against Ebonyi Bishop Over Alleged Sexual Assault

The widely reported case of alleged sexual assault against a popular cleric, Bishop Samuel Onyeagoziri Okorie of Ebonyi State, has taken a dramatic turn following the withdrawal of the petition by a prominent sickle cell advocate, Aisha Edwards Maduagwu. The advocate had previously called for the immediate prosecution of the Bishop, who had been in police custody for two weeks over accusations that he slept with a sickle cell patient, Euphemia, for five years as a solution to her health condition.

Dependable NG reports that Advocate Maduagwu has now made a U-turn, citing what she described as ‘insincerity, deceit, and blackmail’ in the sexual scandal. In a detailed public statement issued on Tuesday, Maduagwu alleged that the accuser was being sponsored by a popular businessman, a politician, and another cleric, and was using her sickle cell condition to curry public sympathy.

Maduagwu, who is the National Coordinator of the Association of People Living with Sickle Cell Disorder (APLSCD), confirmed she had conducted an investigation and accepted a personal apology from Bishop Okorie for some past encounters.

Her key findings contradict the initial abuse narrative. She stated:

The relationship with the SCD patient began in 2022 and was consensual, with the explicit approval of the accuser’s father, who reportedly pressured the Bishop to impregnate her to ensure he had grandchildren.

The Bishop provided extensive support, including purchasing a mini-bus for her school runs, funding her education (JUPEB Programme), and placing her on a monthly salary as a Secretary in his ministry. He also cured her chronic leg ulcer and occasionally donated blood for her transfusions.

The accuser was 22 years old in 2021 when they met and was already sexually active.

Maduagwu also alleged that the accuser coerced the Bishop into certain behaviours, including introducing him to pornography, and there was no evidence of threats involving weapons or releasing nudes, which were consensually captured by the duo.

The scandal broke after the Bishop’s phone was stolen on September 1st, and their private romantic pictures began circulating 19 days later. The advocate noted that the accuser only turned against the Bishop at the police station after a private conversation with another man who identified himself as an Apostle.

Maduagwu used the opportunity to caution podcasters, media outlets, and content creators against rushing one-sided narratives, stressing that responsible journalism requires due diligence to verify claims and provide balanced perspectives.