Categories
AFNewsNG Logo
Crime Special Report

Alleged N85.9m fraud: Judge hands off Celestial Church leaders' case

Thompson Nsisongabasi

Mar 10, 2020

mail
The Federal High Court in Lagos has assigned to an other judge the N85,914,500 fraud charge filed by the Police against three leaders of the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC).

READ ALSO: How NDLEA Finally Captured Drug Kingpin Who Killed Three Officers After 12 Years on the Run

The case will now be heard by Justice Nicholas Oweibo after Justice Ayokunle Faji returned the case file to the Chief Judge.

READ ALSO: Popular Islamic Cleric Found Dead In Zamfara

The Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (Force CIID), Annex, Ikoyi, Lagos last February 17 arraigned John Rotimi Omotosho a.k.a Jorotom: Folashade Ogundipe and Boye Olaniyan before Justice Faji.

READ ALSO: Nigerian man proposes to girlfriend onboard an international flight (video)

The defendants were accused of conspiring and defrauding the church's headquarters at Imeko, Ogun State, of the sum under false pretence of using the money for the church's development.

READ ALSO: 2 Billion Scandal: Inside Gavice Logistics, EFCC's Probe, and the Future of Its CEO

The police claimed that they issued several Zenith Bank cheques with which they withdrew the money from the church's development project account with the bank, by false pretence.

READ ALSO: How Suspects Used Fake Alert to Acquire 75m Mercedes Benz GLE In Kano

Police counsel, Mr C. J. Ijeoma said the offences contravened Sections 8(a), 1(1)(a) and 1(1)(a)&(b) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and other fraud related offences Act, 2010 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.

READ ALSO: INEC Sued Over 'Missing' 55.9bn 2019 Election Funds

Each defendant pleaded not guilty.

READ ALSO: Owners Of The Helicopter That Crashed In Lagos Revealed

Justice Faji, while admitting the defendants to bail, signified his intention to recuse himself from the matter, for personal reasons.

READ ALSO: ABIA: Rep Ibe Okwara Osonwa Commissions New School Projects in Abam, Nkporo, and Ohafia; Inaugurates Borehole in Ihechiowa, Receives Chieftaincy

The judge directed three members of the church to file an undertaken, affidavit of means and to produce a Bond of N350,000 for each defendant, before the trio would be allowed to go home, failing which they would be remanded.

READ ALSO: Interpol Links Ôé¼500,000 COVID-19 Fraud To Nigeria

Justice Faji held: "These members of the church, Adeosun Israel Oladipo, Assistant Shepherd, CCC, Jerusalem Cathedral, Shasha; Afolabi Tolorunloju and Surakatu John, workers at CCC, Jerusalem Cathedral, Shasha, shall file an undertaken to produce the defendants at the next adjourned date.

READ ALSO: BREAKING: Tribunal nullifies Bayelsa's Governorship election

"In view of the issue, church and personalities in the matter, they shall be handed over to the three Church members, who will also produce Bond of N350,000, each and a means of identification".

READ ALSO: How NDLEA Uncovered a Massive Lekki Drug Lab and Arrested Its Saudi-Bound Owner | SEE PHOTOS

Ijeoma confirmed to The Nation that the defendants' case has been re-assigned to Justice Oweibo.

READ ALSO: Isuikwuato Abia Arise Coordinator Okoronkwo Hails Gov. Otti Over Commissioning of 46.3km Road

He said their pleas on the fraud allegations will be taken on a date to be communicated to the parties.

READ ALSO: How NDLEA Finally Captured Drug Kingpin Who Killed Three Officers After 12 Years on the Run

Count one of the change marked FHC/L/226c/2019, reads: "That you John Rotimi Omotosho (M), Folashade Ogundipe (F) Boye Olaniyan (M) and Folafunmi Integrated Ltd between 2006 and 2018, conspired among yourselves to commit felony to wit; obtaining under false pretence, and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 8(a) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and other fraud related offences Act, Laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2010.

READ ALSO: Popular Islamic Cleric Found Dead In Zamfara

Count two reads; "That you John Rotimi Omotosho (M), Folashade Ogundipe (F) Boye Olaniyan (M) and Folafunmi Integrated Ltd, between 2006 and 2018, with an intent to defraud Celestial Church of Christ, fraudulently obtained the sum of N79, 154, 500, million drawn at different date in favour of Folashade Ogundipe with cheques from Zenith Bank Plc account number 1010529055 bearing the account name Imeko Cathedral Development Project Committee, under false pretence that you are using the money to develop Celestial Church of Christ, lmeko Cathedral, Ogun State.

READ ALSO: Nigerian man proposes to girlfriend onboard an international flight (video)

Count three: "That you Folashade Ogundipe (f) in 2006 and 2018, with intent to defraud, fraudulently obtained the sum of N4,500,000.00 from Zenith Bank Plc Account N0. 21010529055 bearing the account name Imeko Cathedral Development Project Committee, through 10 different cheques drawn in favour of Folafunmi Integrated Limited on the representation that you were using the money to develop Celestial Church Of Christ Cathedral Imeko Ogun State, property of the Celestial Church of Christ, a representation that you knew to be false.

READ ALSO: 2 Billion Scandal: Inside Gavice Logistics, EFCC's Probe, and the Future of Its CEO

Count four: "That you Boye Olaniyan (m) between 2006 to 2018 within the Lagos Judicial Division with intent to defraud the Celestial Church of Christ, fraudulently obtained the sum of N2, 260, 000.00 (Two Million, Two Hundred and Sixty Thousand Naira) from Zenith Bank Plc Account No: 1010529055 bearing the account name Imeko Cathedral Development Project Committee, through 28 different cheques drawn in your name, under the false pretence that you were using the money to facilitate the contract of the Church Cathedral Project and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a)&(b) and punishable under section 1(3) both of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010

Related Stories

""

— Thompson Nsisongabasi

Join the Conversation

Signed in as Member