Bishop Timothy Otu, the general overseer of a specific Agape Evangelical Ministry with offices in Obikabia Junction in the Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State, has been questioned by authorities regarding the death of a female church member who was allegedly having an illicit relationship with him in a hotel.
Happiness Echieze, an evangelist and mother of five, was reported to be one of the prominent members of his church when she passed away.
The stated Bishop is now assisting the police in their inquiry to determine what caused the woman to pass away in his hotel room, according to a statement released on Thursday by Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Moureen Chinaka.
According to the statement, on August 12, 2023, at approximately 9.23 p.m., the Bishop and the lady checked into a hotel in Ovom village.
The lady's naked, lifeless body was later located in the hotel room about midnight, the complaint claims, and the alleged Bishop was nowhere to be found.
However, he was taken away on Sunday as he was giving a sermon in his church.
The State Criminal Investigation Department has been given the case, according to the police, so that it can be properly investigated.
The statement read in part:"On August 13, 2023, around 9.30am, Mr Godwin Akpan residing at Jubilee Guest House in Ovom Village, Obingwa Local Government Area reported to the Isialangwa Police Division that on the evening of August 12, 2023, around 9.25pm, a clergyman named Timothy Otu associated with Agape Evangelical Ministry at Obikabia Junction in Obingwa LGA, checked into the guest house along with a woman named Happiness Echieze from Isialangwa LGA, Abia State. The age of Happiness Echieze was 43.
"According to other information presented by Mr. Akpan, on the same date, at around midnight, he entered the hotel room of the aforementioned priest and found Happiness Echieze's lifeless body. She was discovered naked, with a white liquid coming out of her lips and nose. Unfortunately, the clergyman wasn't present.
"This topic is now under preliminary inquiry. The deceased's body has been moved from the scene and is now at the SDA Mortuary in Aba where an autopsy will be performed.
The suspect in this case has also been taken into custody, and the matter has been given to the State CID for discreet investigations.
According to a source, the incident happened when the deceased woman's husband was away in Bayelsa State on business.
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