A 45-year-old cleric, Dominion Ayendi, who allegedly defrauded his church member of N700,000, yesterday appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court on a three-count charge.
The police charged Ayendi, a resident of Ekoro Road, Abule-Egba, Lagos, with conspiracy, fraud and stealing.
According to prosecuting Inspector Clifford Ogu, the pastor defrauded Mr Godwin Onaja of N700,000 under the false pretences of using the money to execute a contract.
“The accused solicited for the complainant’s assistance, claiming that he secured a contract to be executed in Cross River, and that he was financially handicapped.
“He collected N700,000 from the complainant with a promise to pay back within three weeks, but did not pay,” he said.
Ogu said that the cleric committed the fraud and theft between November 15 and 20 at Abule-Egba.
He added that the accused conspired with one Mark Orji to commit the offence.
Ogu said that the offence contravened Sections 285, 312 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accused may be jailed for 15 years, if found guilty, according to the provisions of section 312.
The accused pleaded not guilty, and was granted N150,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum.
Magistrate T. Akanni adjourned the case.
No comments:
Post a Comment