The Associate Parish Priest of Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, Northern Foreshore, Lekki, Lagos, Rev. Fr. Egwuatu Julian, has been quizzed by detectives of the Nigeria Police Force in Lagos over the death of a manager with First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Olisa Nwakoby.
Nwakoby had on Friday shot himself to death in the presence of the priest.
A statement by the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos on September 11, 2014 listed Father Julian as the Associate Parish Priest of Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, Northern Foreshore, Lekki, Lagos.
Nwakoby was said to have been enmeshed in a N350 million scandal.
He reportedly confessed to Father Julian on Friday money before shooting himself to death right in the church.
Following the development, detectives have invited the priest to give account of what transpired.
Spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, Dolapo Badmos, said: “We are not investigating the priest but being the first witness, we asked him some questions in order to aid our investigation.”
Nwakoby was until he killed himself the Head of Operations at the Lekki Branch of FCMB, which he joined more than a decade ago.
Clergymen are generally exempted from having to testify in court, or to law-enforcement, about what was discussed in a church confession.
The priest-penitent privilege, however, can be challenged in court.
