Nigeria: Pastor, 45, Arraigned for Fraud

 

The police on Thursday arraigned a 45-year-old pastor, Ogunleye Henry, before a Kubwa Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, for criminal breach of trust and cheating.

The police prosecutor, Echendu Kelechi, told the court that the case was reported at the Dutse Police Station on March 4 by Olurotimi David, a resident of the area.

Mr. Kelechi, a police corporal, said Mr. David complained that the accused sold a house containing two bedroom flats, five self-contain rooms, a borehole and parking space to him in December 2012 for N4.7 million.

“The complainant said he paid N2.4 million, leaving a balance of N2.3 million, which was to be paid in March 2013,” Mr. Kelechi said.

He said that when Mr. David called the accused to make final payment, he told him that he had sold the two-bedroom flat and borehole to two different people.

The prosecutor said the offences contravened the provisions of sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.

Section 312 provides that “whoever commits criminal breach of trust shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years or with imprisonment or with both”.

Section 322 provides that “whoever cheats shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with imprisonment or with both”.

The accused, a pastor with the Cherubim and Seraphim church, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecutor applied for an adjournment to enable him produce witnesses.

The magistrate, Elizabeth Jones-Wonnu, granted the accused bail in the sum of N150, 000 with two sureties in like sum, and adjourned the case to May 10 for hearing.

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