A US jury in Texas has convicted Nigerian-born Catholic priest Anthony Odiong of multiple counts of sexual assault for exploiting his religious authority to abuse women under his spiritual guidance.
A Texas jury has convicted Nigerian-born Roman Catholic priest Anthony Odiong, 57, for sexually assaulting women who were under his spiritual care. Following two hours of deliberation on Friday, the Waco jury found him guilty on one count of first-degree sexual assault and two counts of second-degree sexual assault.
The prosecution presented testimony from two victims who stated Odiong used his clerical authority to manipulate them into sexual relationships during times of emotional vulnerability. One victim, Mary Doe, testified that the abuse occurred while she was receiving spiritual counseling during a difficult divorce.
Defense attorneys argued the encounters were consensual, but prosecutors emphasized his abuse of power. Odiong, who was ordained in Nigeria in 1993 and later suspended from the ministry in 2019, faces a potential life sentence when sentencing proceedings begin on Monday.
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