Lagos pastor remanded in prison, accused of duping teacher N3m

Raymond Akala Ayodele, 36, has been arrested and dragged to court after being accused of obtaining N3 million from Mrs Omowumi Arowosegbe, a teacher and resident of Ikorodu, Lagos.

Ayodele claimed to be the Managing Director of ERIIFEi Divine Global Enterprise as well as a Pastor. He was apprehended by Zone 2 Command operatives in Lagos.

The accused, who also claimed to be a former employee of Friesland Capena in Ogba, Lagos, allegedly collected the money from the complainant under the pretence that he intended to use it to buy goods and that he would equally split the proceeds from the sale of those purchases with the complainant.

According to the police, the defendant vanished and used the money for his own purposes after the complainant transferred the funds into his account in accordance with the agreement.

The police added that when the complainant did not hear from the defendant after some months, she petitioned the Assistant Inspector General of Police AIG in charge of Zone 2 Command, Lagos who directed his men to fish out the fleeing suspect anywhere he might be hiding.

The Police team swung into action and track the defendant to a hideout in Lagos and arrested him.

Ayodele, a resident of Amule, Ipaja Ayobo, Lagos was charged before the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos Island on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretence and stealing.

Police prosecuting Counsel, ASP Ibrahim Haruna informed the court that the defendant committed the offence in February, 2022 in Lagos.

Haruna told the Court that the defendant fraudulently collected the N3m from the complainant to invest it in lucrative business with a promise to share the profits of the business with the complainant, but that instead, the defendant converted the money to his use and went into hiding before he was arrested.

Haruna said the offences, the defendant committed were punishable under sessions 314(1) and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and the Magistrate, Mrs Ggajumo Ayoku granted him N750,000 bail with two sureties in like sum.

Ayoku adjourned the case till 7 December, 2022 for mention and ordered that the defendant be detained at the Ikoyi correctional facility till he perfected the bail conditions.