![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-300x200.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
A Mohamed Salah first-half goal was enough to give Liverpool a 1-0 Premier League win over Brentford on Saturday that keeps the pressure on fierce rivals Manchester United in the hunt for Champions League football next season.
Their sixth league win in a row left the Merseysiders in fifth spot on 62 points, one behind fourth-placed United, but the Red Devils have two games in hand over Liverpool. Brentford are ninth on 50 points.
Before the game got underway, the Liverpool fans loudly booed, whistled and chanted their team’s name as the national anthem was played to mark the coronation of King Charles in London earlier on Saturday.
Expecting the visitors to sit deep, Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp deployed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo in a star-studded attack, and it quickly paid off as Salah broke the deadlock in the 13th minute.
The Egyptian started the move for Liverpool before Fabinho crossed to Virgil van Dijk at the back post, and the big Dutchman headed the ball back for Salah to bundle home his 100th goal at Anfield.
Bryan Mbeumo out-sprinted and out-muscled Van Dijk to fire home in the 40th minute for Brentford, but the flag went up for a marginal offside that was confirmed by VAR and the goal was disallowed.
Nunez missed a superb chance to make it 2-0 in the 29th minute as Trent Alexander-Arnold played a brilliant pass over the top to him, but the Uruguayan guided his first-time effort wide of the near post.
Gakpo missed an even better chance early in the second half as Jota flashed a ball across the box, but it struck the striker on the shins and he couldn’t get it on target.
With Brentford struggling to create anything of note and only managing a single shot on target, Salah’s goal proved enough for the home side to claim the victory.
“I think we’ve improved a lot in the last couple of weeks. We’ve won six in a row and we have a few clean sheets, which is really important for us … I think we are more stable at the moment in the team,” goalscorer Salah told Sky Sports.
Though Manchester United are still in the driving seat in terms of Champions League qualification, Salah said his side have not given up on the idea of a top-four finish.
“We’ll take it game by game, we don’t want to look further, just game by game and we’ll see what will happen,” he said.
