Crime & Punishment

MFM Olukoya Denies Locking Up His Pastors for Nine Years

Funke Olaode

The Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) has refuted the claim by the former Pastors of the church, Mr. Femi Jimoh and Caleb Oloruntele, that the church leadership, headed by Dr. Daniel Olukoya, locked them up for nine years for an offence they did not commit.

This was based on an alleged online video circulating accusing the church’s leadership of wrongdoings.

Speaking to the newsmen at a press conference in Lagos, the church’s Chief Legal Adviser, Mr. Davisdon Adejuwon, said that MFM Church and its General Overseer, Dr. Daniel Olukoya, did not jail Mr. Femi Jimoh and Caleb Oloruntele or any other person for nine years or for any period at all.

Adejuwon stated that the church had no gain in framing them up or jailing them, as it was absurd to imagine the church (MFM) as big as it to frame up its pastors just because of a false claim that the church’s chief security officer was seen in herbalist’s house.

Debunking the alleged accusation that the MFM general overseer has no forgiving spirit, Adejuwon said the church remains committed to the welfare, spiritual and physical well-being, and development of its members and humanity at large.

He alleged that Jimoh and Caleb contacted some people to attack the church, pointing out that three individuals allegedly approached by the former pastors also testified during their trial in court, narrating how they were approached by Jimoh and solicited assistance to hire a gun to rob the ‘first fruits’ offering of the church in the year 2008.

While corroborating the church’s story, the trio of Akeem Momodu, aka Omojomolo, Adebayo Fatai, popularly known as Aboki, and Tajudeen Oseni, also known as Orji, jointly narrated how they discreetly recorded their conversations with him and how they were able to save the church from the deadly attack.

Adejuwon said that although Femi Jimoh and Caleb Oloruntele were discharged, the director of public prosecution (DPP) still appealed the court’s decision.

According to him, Olukoya continued to show kindness and forgiveness to errant staff and rehabilitate such erring staff.

“MFM and its general overseer will not use its fold to harbour or hide anyone with any criminal intent and motive capable to harm others,” said Adejuwon.

The lawyer alleged that Jimoh was a serial offender.

He stated, “He was being redeployed back to the headquarters for internal discipline after which he would be posted out believing he had changed. Permit me to read two of such letters in support of this fact showing that he was a serial offender…. If not forgiveness and magnanimity, what other reason or factor would make an organisation to keep giving its offending staff another chance and another chance and another chance after every offence committed?”

He said MFM was a responsible church that takes the welfare, safety and security of all its members seriously as such a case of planned armed attack on credible intelligence against the church which could have led to the death of any member is not one that can be treated and handled internally by the church.

“We have duty to report such to the law enforcement agency saddled with the responsibilities to investigate and deal with such issues. And that was exactly what we did as a responsible church.

“All other events that transpired thereafter at the police station and during trial were completely out of the control of the church because being a criminal matter, it became a case between the State and the defendants,” he explained.

Court Sentenced Two Men to Prison for Impersonating EFCC Official

Funke Olaode

Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe of the ikeja Special Offences Court  has sentenced two men, Ugwu Pascal Chijioke and Ibrahim Sadiq Adekunle, to 22 years and eight months in prison for impersonating an official of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The duo were convicted of using fake court order to impersonate EFCC officials and extort people.

The EFCC had arraigned the duo on an amended five-count charge bordering on obtaining property by false pretence, unlawfully wearing EFCC uniforms and possessing documents containing false pretence.

Chijioke and Adekunle committed the offence on May 12, 2021 with intent to defraud, obtain property from an individual, Oriyomi Johnson, under the pretext that the “Chief Magistrate Court, Lagos State Judiciary, Mushin, Lagos” issued an order to the effect that the property located at New Horizon Estate, Lekki-Ikate, Lagos be seized and sealed.

They pleaded not guilty when they were first arraigned but later pleaded guilty to the charge.

Following their guilty plea, the prosecuting counsel, Abdulhamid Lamido Tukur, therefore review the facts of the case before the court.

He told court that at the point of arrest, fake EFCC identity cards, jackets, and a court order purported to have emanated from the Mushin Magistrate Court were collected from the defendants.

Justice Abike-Fadipe, therefore, found them guilty as charged and sentenced them to seven years’ imprisonment on counts one, two and three. One year on counts four while they were sentenced to eight months on counts five.

The judge said the sentences would run concurrently. Before the sentence was read, the convicted pleaded for mercy.

The first defendant begged court saying, “I am very sorry for the crime. I pleaded guilty for having been in correctional facility for over a year now and have learnt a lot. I am very sorry and I beg EFCC to forgive me. I will never go back to any crime I plead court to temper justice with mercy.”

EFCC Arraigns Alleged Fraudsters for Defrauding Access Bank of N3.5bn

Funke Olaode

For allegedly stealing N3.5 billion from Access Bank Plc and retaining the proceeds of crime, three suspects, Michael Igbomins, David Onyeike, and Moses Iruolaja were arraigned before Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe of the Ikeja Special Offences Court.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned the trio on two counts charge bordering on stealing and retention of proceed of crime. The EFCC counsel, Mr. Abdulhamid Tukur told court that the defendants allegedly committed the offences sometimes in 2023 in Lagos, with dishonest intent, allegedly stole and converted the fund to their own use.

EFCC also alleged the defendants retained the money, knowing it was proceeds from unlawful act.

EFCC levelled accused an Access Bank employee plugged an Hp Elitebook laptop into his branch network where he was working for about 16 years as an IT representative with the bank. He gave them remote access to his cohorts for them to perpetrate the fraud on the network of the bank. He employed others defendant and move money out through them.

According to the anti-graft commission, the alleged offences were contrary to the provision of section 17 of the EFCC Establishment Act, 2004 and Section 280 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015.

They all pleaded not guilty to the charge. Following their not guilty plea, Tukur prayed the court for a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendants in prison custody.

However, the defendants counsel, Mr. M.S. Amosun and Mr I.O. Lala informed the court that there was no pending application before the court but they prayed that they would do the needful before the next adjourned date.

Chrisland: LG Official Confirms Whitney Went to Hospital Before Inter-House Sports

Funke Olaode

A Deputy Director with the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Mr. Jubril Yakubu, confirmed to the Ikeja Division of the Lagos High Court on Thursday that the late Whitney Adeniran visited the hospital on January 20, 2023 and she was in school on February 1, 7 and 9 to participate in the inter-house sports. He, however, noted that the deceased opted out of the activities on the day of the inter-house sports.

Under cross examination from counsel to Chrisland Schools, Demola Animasaun, who asked, “Are you aware that she (Whitney Adeniran) did not participate in the activities on that inter-house sports day?”

The Lagos official said, “Yes and she was not forced by the school to participate.”

On matters concerning emergency measures, the witness said these were not within his purview.

Mr. Ademola Animashaun is counsel to the fifth defendant.

According to the witness, the provision of nurses at the inter-house sports should be part of emergency preparedness and not just for emergency.

The witness, however, said he had the competence and authority at the fact-finding meeting with the school to speak on emergency signal. The Lagos official under further cross-examination also said that he did not know the actual number of schools in District six as of December 31, 2023.

He confirmed to the court that he was responsible for more than 1722 schools approved by the Ministry of Education.

The witness was unable to tell the actual numbers of the schools within District six and deferred this to the ministry of education.

The social worker said, “Mine has to do with social services and I have the competence to speak about District six. I also do not know off-heart how many students are subject to social risk exposure in District Six, but in each of the schools, the school should have designated safeguarding and child protection officer appointed among the staff of the school that take lead. Mrs. Tawa Sodiq, a school social officer in District six reports to me.”

Justice Oyindamola Ogala discharged the witness and adjourned the case until June 13 for continuation of trial.

N17.8bn Debt: Court to Hear Contempt Suit Against Afex Officials June 20

Wale Igbintade

Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court has fixed June 20 for hearing of contempt charge filed against Afex Commodities Exchange Ltd, and five of its directors over alleged failure to obey court order in respect of the firm’s N17,808,452,467.107 loan facilities granted by Guaranty Trust Bank.

The judge adjourned the matter after hearing arguments from Chief Ajibola Aribisala SAN,  counsel to the plaintiff (GTB), and Collins Ogbonna counsel to the judgment debtor (Afex Commodities Exchange).

The alleged contemnors are Afex Commodities Exchange Ltd, and its directors, Ayodeji Olaleye Balogun, Jendayi Fraaser, Justin Lee Topilow, Mobolaji Oluwatomi Adeoye, and Koonal Bharat Ghandi.

When the matter came up yesterday, Aribisala observed that the alleged contemnors were not in court, and urged the court to issue bench warrants against them to compel them to come to court.

He stated that the order of court authorising Guaranty Trust  (GTB) to take over the funds and assets belonging to Afex Commodities Exchange following its inability to pay N17,808,452,467.107 loan facilities granted by the bank has not been obeyed.

Aribisala said the issue of contempt is sui generis (of its own kind), and takes precedence above any other applications file before the court.

He submitted that every person to whom an order of court is directed has an unqualified obligation to obey the order until it was discharged or set aside on appeal.

He argued that the alleged contemnors are still liable to show cause why they should not be punished for contempt.

But, counsel to the judgment debtor, Ogbonna objected to the issue of bench warrant against the defendants, arguing that his law firm has just been served in court with processes.

Citing legal authorities, he urged the court to hear a motion filed by the defendants challenging the order of court, authorising the bank to temporarily take over the funds and assets belonging to Afex Commodities.

Justice Aneke had on May 27 granted an interim Global Standing Instruction (GSI) injunctive relief, following an application moved by GTBank’s counsel.

GSI was created as a last resort for banks and financial institutions to recover outstanding loans from chronic debtors.

The court also granted a pre-judgment interest on the N15,766,475,417.06 at the prevailing rediscount rate of 28 per cent per annum approved by the CBN from April 18, 2024, when the plaintiff’s letter of demand dated April 17, 2024, was delivered to the defendant until judgment is delivered in this suit.

Post-judgment interest on the loan was N15,766,475,417.06 and cost of recovery and incidental expenses was N2,041,977,050.047. It further granted a mandatory injunction commanding the defendant to allow the plaintiff to appoint its appointed agent to take over the commodities stored by the defendant in the 16 warehouses across seven states. The court also directed the police and Civil Defence to assist GTBank in securing and dealing with the commodities stored by the defendant in the 16 warehouses.

GTBank is the sole plaintiff in the suit marked FHC/L/CS/911/2024. Afex Commodities Exchange is the defendant, while 27 commercial banks and all money deposit banks were listed as nominal respondents.

However, the defendants allegedly refused to comply with orders of court, thereby compelling the llaintiff to filed Form 48, and Form 49 against the defendants.

Form 48, and Form 49, are notice of consequences of disobedience of order of court, and notice to show cause why an order of committal should not be made against the person.