Like the case of Judas Iscariot who lost his place among the apostles because his greed for money, a security man with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Awobola Babatunde, has allowed himself to be enticed into sin of covetousness. And he is already facing the music.
Babatunde, with the intent of pilfering from the church, allegedly opened a bank account in the name of the General Overseer, Pastor E. A. Adeboye.
The accused, whose address is unknown, was charged to court on Monday on a four-count charge of stealing, impersonation, conspiracy and opening an account in Adeboye’s name and attempting to cash a cheque of N600,000.
Babatunde, who is aged 32, pleaded not guilty to the charges at an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court.
The prosecutor, Inspector Aighoi Gbemileke, had told the court that the the accused with others still at large committed the offences on June 6 at No. 1/9, Redemption Way, Ebute Meta at 9am.
Gbemileke said the accused stole a Fidelity Bank cheque valued at N600,000 belonging to the RCCG General Overseer.
He said, “The accused falsely presented himself as Pastor Adeboye by opening a savings account at Aguda, Surulere branch of Fidelity Bank in his name.
“He opened the account in order to cash the cheque and convert the money to personal use.
“Babatunde also opened the account in order to be stealing money from the church as they plan to pay in more cheques.”
Gbemileke said the offences violated Sections 285, 378, 404 and 408 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The presiding Magistrate, B. Folarin-Williams, admitted the accused to a bail of N100,000 in addition to two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till August 4, 2016.
But the magistrate granted the bail on the condition that the sureties must be blood relations of the accused, with evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
