Rev. Fr. Linus Okwu, a priest in the Enugu Catholic Diocese was said to have whipped ladies, girls, and other choir members at his church for allegedly neglecting to mow the grass on the church grounds.
In the Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, Okwu, the parish priest of St. Bartholomew’s Catholic Church in Agbani, is accused of whipping his parishioners, who include mothers, young men, women, and teenagers.
The enraged priest, reportedly armed with canes, allegedly sparked trouble when he halted a choir practice in his parish and wanted to know why the church field hadn’t been cleared yet.
Not happy with the responses, he ordered the choir members to kneel and began brutally beating them.
One of the victims, who requested anonymity, said she returned home with bruises.
She went on to say that she will remember the shock for the rest of her life.
What they’re saying
The source stated:
“The Priest, who was visibly enraged when addressing the choir members, warned us that because we rarely follow the church’s teaching and guidance, he would use the stick approach to ensure compliance.
“I was sitting in a row of seats with teenage members of our choir, so when he started flogging, I moved to the back seat in the hopes that he wouldn’t flog the grownups and moms among us, but to my astonishment, he flogged everyone, including me.
“When I tried to resist, he told me that if my father flogs me at home for wronging him, he the right to whip members of his congregation as the church’s father if they falter. I was severely bruised after he was done with me.”
Bottom Line
The alleged behavior of Rev. Fr. Linus Okwu is not only inappropriate but also constitutes physical abuse. Using physical punishment to enforce compliance is unacceptable and contrary to the teachings of compassion and respect that are central to many religious doctrines, including Catholicism.
