Crime

Nigerian pastor and his wife remanded in prison over N33.8 million fraud

Published

3 months ago

February 8, 2024

The pastor of Kingdom Power International Christian Praying Centre Ishashi, Lagos, Azuka Ohez and his wife, Mary Ohez, have been remanded by a Sabo-Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court Lagos.

The couple were remanded on Wednesday for aiding in defrauding a lubricant company of N33.8 million.

The defendants of no fixed residential address are facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and fraud.

The couple were arraigned in the chamber of the magistrate.

Chief magistrate Adeola Olatubosun ordered that the couple be remanded in Ikoyi Prison custody until the perfection of their bail.

Olatubosun granted them N10 million bail each with two responsible sureties each in like sum.

However, she adjourned the case until May 13 for substantive trial.

Earlier, the prosecutor, ASP Rita Momah, told the court that the duo and some others still at large committed the offences on July 13, 2023, at Oba Ayoka St, Lagos.

Ms Momah alleged that the couple and one Chijioke Ezekirian conspired to steal and receive proceeds of sales from Climax Lubricants Industries in Lagos.

She submitted that the couple knowingly received N33.8 million through Fidelity Bank KPICPC account numbers 2033723459 and 5600923549 from Chijioke Ezekirian.

Ms Momah said the offences contravene sections 328 (1) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.