The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, have arrested
and arraigned the residing pastor of the Power of the Holy Ghost Evangelical
Ministry in Lagos, Prophet Cletus Ilongwo, for allegedly defrauding a member of
his church to the tune of N59.7m.
EFCC had arrested Ilongwo early this year after the church member had reported a case of fraud against him to the tune of N 85 million. According to the church member, the clergyman's fraud told the antigraft agency that Ilongwo's action caused him his job in one of the first generation banks in the country.
Ilongwo
allegedly jumped bail and left his surety to languish in the EFCC detention,
while efforts to re-arrest him proved abortive.
The
suspect was said to have received the said amount from one Obinna Ezenwaka at
different times in 2016 on the pretext of helping him to purchase a property
located at 165c, Diamond Estate, Amuwo-Odofin.
According
to the EFCC, Ilongwo collected the sum in tranches through his Zenith Bank
account 1003455899.
At
Monday’s proceedings, llongwo, who was dressed in a long red robe, pleaded not
guilty to the 11 counts charge bordering on fraud preferred against him.
The
charges read in part, “That you, Cletus Ilongwo, on January
29, 2016, at Lagos, within the Ikeja Juridical Division, dishonestly converted
for your own use the sum of N10m, being money received through your Zenith Bank
account number 1003495899 from Obinna Ezenwaka meant for the purchase of the
property situated at No 165c, Block 12, Diamond Estate, Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos.”
In view
of his plea, the prosecution counsel, Ahmed Yerima, applied for a date for the
commencement of trial, while the defence counsel, P.N. Orji, informed the court
about a pending bail application he filed on behalf of his client.
Yerima
did not, however, oppose the bail application, but asked for time to respond to
it.
The
presiding judge, Justice Sherifat Solebo, adjourned the matter till November 14
and 19, respectively for hearing of the bail application and commencement of
trial.
She
ordered that Ilongwo be remanded in prison pending the approval of his bail
application
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