A 52-year-old Pastor, Michael Udom of Pinnacle of Praise Church,
Lagos, yesterday appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for
allegedly defrauding his church members of N1.5 million on the pretext of coordinating a monthly contribution.
Udom, of No. 76 Ikorodu Rd., Fadeyi, Lagos, is charged with three
counts of conspiracy, fraud and stealing.
The prosecution alleged that the accused obtained a sum of N1.5
million from one Sylvia Nnamdi and Alfred Olugbenga, under the
pretences of being a pastor and coordinator of one Ajo Thrift
Association, a representation he knew to be false.
Police Sgt. Michael Unah told the court that the accused committed
the offences with other two still at large sometimes in May at Fadeyi
in Lagos. He said the accused portrayed himself as a pastor and the
coordinator of the Ajo Thrift Association to the complainants,
convinced them to join the contribution but converted the sum of 1.5
million to his own personal use.
Unah said that the accused refused to give the complainants the money when it was their turn to collect.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr A. A. Fashola, admitted the accused to bail
in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum.
Fashola ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed with an
evidence of three years tax payment to the Lagos state government and have their addresses verified by the court.
He also ordered that the sureties must be blood relations of the
accused and also reside within the court’s jurisdiction.
The offences contravened Sections 287, 314 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos state 2015, (Revised). Section 314 prescribes a 15-year jailterm for false pretenses while section 287 provides seven years for
stealing.
The Magistrate has since adjourned the case until Jan. 22 for mention
