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Pastor Defrauds Member of N1.2m Car

Anne Bassey

October 16, 2018

A self-acclaimed Pastor, Joseph Lawson, has swindled his member, Chikwukadibia Udeh of his car worth N1.2 million and is before a magistrate judge at Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos on charges of theft.

The 46-year-old pastor appeared before the court yesterday for hearing of his offence which breached Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Prosecuting attorney, Clifford Ogu accounted that the suspect committed the offence on the 1st of October at Oko-Oba, Lagos state.

Nation reports that the prosecutor alleged that the suspect, Lawson ran away with a car belonging to Udeh after pretending that God told him to pray for the car alongside the car’s document.

He narrated, “The complainant approached the accused for prayers. The accused claimed God told him that he should bring his car and the document for prayers.

“The complainant obeyed and after the accused collected the car and its document, he was nowhere to be found.

“Efforts made by the complainant to recover his car proved unsuccessful and the case was reported to the police,” the prosecutor said.

Ogu added that when the accused was apprehended, he claimed to have sold the car.

The suspect, a resident of Surulere in Lagos state, pleaded `not-guilty’ to the charge levelled against him and was granted bail of N200,000.

The presiding Judge, Magistrate J.A. Adegun granted the suspect bail with the condition of two sureties who should be employed and show evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State government.

The case has been adjourned till October 29 for further hearing.