Paternity case takes dramatic turn as Rev. Father absconds

Chances of Rev Fr. Yves-Lucien Evaga Njana, a Cameroonian Catholic priest based in Ghana, subjecting himself to a paternity test to ascertain the true father of the child he allegedly fathered is getting slimmer by the day as information gathered by Weekend Finder indicates that the priest has long left the shores of the country.

Rev Fr. Yves-Lucien, who is also the Director of the Biblical Centre for Africa and Madagascar (BICAM), situated at the Airport Residential Area in Accra, and a diplomat, was hauled before a juvenile court on April 20 by Josephine Ganyoame, 24 years, for neglecting responsibility towards a child he allegedly fathered.

Three months after the court had ordered that Father Lucien be stripped of his diplomatic immunity and subjected to a paternity test, it appears that would take some dint of fate to happen.

Checks by Weekend Finder at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the status of the processes to strip the Reverend Father of his diplomatic immunity to allow him face the law indicate that the decision solely lies with the institution that granted him the immunity.

Information gathered from the legal department of the Foreign Affairs Ministry indicates that the court order asking for him to be stripped of the diplomatic immunity has been forwarded to the catholic institution that granted it, and that the ministry has no powers to strip the priest of his immunity.

When Weekend Finder contacted the Biblical Centre for Africa and Madagascar, where the priest at the centre of the controversy is a director, the paper was informed that Father Lucien had long left the country.

“Father Lucien has left and I am not sure if he would come back”, a source at the centre said.

Come July 30, the young boy who played no part in his birth will turn a year old without a name because his alleged father has sought refuge under a diplomatic immunity and is refusing responsibility towards the child.

Background

The plaintiff, Josephine Ganyoame, 24, filed a suit in court accusing Rev Fr. Yves-Lucien Evaga Njana of neglecting responsibility towards a child he allegedly fathered.

In the suit filed on April 7, the plaintiff is seeking a declaration that the respondent’s irresponsibility breaches the rights of the child to a name, basic necessities of life, welfare and social protection.

She is further praying the court to direct the Reverend Father to subject himself to a paternity test to determine the father of the baby, among other reliefs.

Rev Father Yves-Lucien Evaga Njana,in an earlier interview with Weekend Finder, admitted having had sexual relationship with the lady but denied being the father of the child.

He claimed that he used a condom each time they had sex and could, therefore, not have impregnated the lady.

He indicated that all efforts to get the girl to go for a paternity test have proven futile.

Joshepine Ganyoname, however, says she rejected the test because she wanted it ordered by a court so the result cannot be altered.

Next hearing of the case in court is slated for July 27, 2016.