Pastor arraigned for allegedly defrauding member

A Bayelsa State-based pastor, Apostle Kingsley of God is Able mega fire ministry, was yesterday arraigned in a magistrate court sitting in Yenagoa for allegedly obtaining a Toyota SUV and N20,000 under false pretense from a member of his church.

The pastor was said to have collected the vehicle and the alleged sum under false pretense of praying for financial breakthrough for the unsuspecting member. He was arraigned by the police, through its counsel, I. Amakiri in a three-count charge of obtaining by tricks and conspiracy.

The victim and complainant, Saiyou Seiefa Jones, who narrated his ordeal to The Guardian, said his journey started when he was invited to the church by a friend in September 9, 2017. On getting to the church, he said a visiting pastor that came for the programme convinced him to give the sum of N20,000 and the SUV in exchange for spiritual breakthrough.

This he said was after narrating frightening stories of how people that didn’t give died mysteriously and how same will happen to him if he did not give. He said Apostle Kingsley through the visiting pastor promised him that in a month’s time he would receive what he has donated in two folds.

“When they called me up, the pastor asked how much I had in my account. I said N15,000. He said how can an honourable member like you have only N15,000 in your account? This was after they have said that I should sow a seed of N100,000, which I said I don’t have. Eventually I was able to pledge N20,000.

“They also asked how many cars I had and I said only one. They said I should sow it as a seed that I will get double of what I have given. He gave me honey to drink and mandated me to do change of ownership immediately and he brought one form that said I voluntarily gave out my car and I signed without knowing what I was doing.”

He said after several months, things were not getting better but worse, so he asked the pastor to return his car because several months have passed without any form of financial increase.

Saiyuo reported the case to the police who invited the pastor. The pastor said he has sold the car for N1.5 million, a car the victim said he bought for N6 million. When the person that bought the car was contacted, the buyer said they should give him N3 million before he will release the car; but the police persisted and the car was brought to the station.

The case has been adjourned to April 4 for further hearing, with the court ordering that the suspect produce the visiting pastor.