Pastor Fakes Own Death to Avoid Paying N3m Debt Owed to Church Member

• An Ondo-based pastor, Paul Oyewole has been arraigned in court for offences bordering on fraud and pretence
• The cleric was alleged to have faked his own demise to escape paying the N3 million debt he owes his church member Boyede Emmanuel
• It was gathered that when he borrowed the money, Pastor Oyewole was given a seven day ultimatum but was unable to beat the deadline for payment

A 43-year-old pastor, Paul Oyewole has been arrested for faking his own death to avoid paying a N3 million debt owed to his church members.

As reported by Daily Trust, the Ondo-based Pastor Oyewole was on Thursday, February 3 brought before the Magistrate Court for prosecution.

Legit.ng gathered that Oyewole had lent the money from his church member, Boyede Emmanuel, whom he promised to repay after seven days.

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However, everything went south for Oyewole as he was unable to return the money after the deadline elapsed and went on to fake his own death to avoid payment.

Oyewole, who was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Mosunmola Ikujuni, is being charged with fraud and pretence.

According to Moremi Akao, the prosecuting counsel, the alleged was said to have committed the offence between November 25, 2021, and May 7, 2022, along the Valentino area in Ondo.

Akao said:

“The defendant alleged to have falsely published and posted his obituary on WhatsApp after he had sent a fake alert to (a bank account) knowing fully that he did not have such an amount in his bank account,” he said.

“The defendant had earlier threatened the complainant (church member) on phone, with the intent to intimidate him, and also conducted himself in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace, by stripping himself naked in front of the complainant’s house."

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According to Akao, Pastor Oyewole's offence is in violation of the 2006 Criminal Code of Ondo state stipulated under Sections 419, 86, and 125A(1)

Embattled Pastor Oyewole denies allegations

Meanwhile, the alleged pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against him and a bail application was tabled before the court by the defence counsel, Queen Arokoyo.

Following the reading of the bail application, the court granted N1 million bail condition with the stipulation that the alleged will tender two sureties each in like sum.

The court noted that the two sureties to be presented to the court must have a landed property situated within the area, and he/she must provide an original photocopy of their identity card.

Magistrate Ikujuni after reeling out these conditions adjourned proceedings until Monday, February 13.

Pastor kidnaps self, collects ransom from church members

In another similar development, the Plateau police command has arrested one Albarka Sukuya, a pastor, for allegedly kidnapping himself.

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According to the police, Pastor Sukuya collected ransom from members of his congregation through fake abduction.

Prior to the pastor’s arrest, he had staged two kidnap incidents during which he collected N400,000 and N200,000 as ransom from his church members.

Police arrest ‘fake pastors’ conducting alleged phoney miracles in Lagos

Meanwhile, some alleged fake pastors have been apprehended in Nigeria's commercial city of Lagos.

The pastors were accused of conducting fake miracles and prophecies, a crime that led to their arrest by the Lagos police command.

They were apprehended by detectives from the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department.

Source: Legit.ng