Pastor arraigned for defrauding church members in Lagos

The Lagos State Police Command has arraigned Pastor David Oladele before an Ebute-Meta Magistrate’s Court for allegedly defrauding his members of millions of Naira in car deals.

The pastor, along with others at large, allegedly defrauded six people by failing to remit profits from selling their cars, and issuing them fake cheques.

The vehicles, one Toyota Highlander, one Toyota pickup van, one Honda Odyssey, one Nissan Muraino and one Acura 3.2. were obtained allegedly under false pretences and were given to the accused to sell and remit to the dealers but he instead diverted the money into his personal accounts after the vehicles were sold.

Oladele is also accused of allegedly issuing dud cheques to two people.

The defendant was arraigned on nine counts of stealing.

The charges read in part:

“That you, Pastor David Oladele, and others now at large, between October 2014 and January 2015, at Ipaja, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit; obtaining money under false pretences and stealing, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.”

He pleaded not guilty to all the charges and his defence counsel requested for bail.

The magistrate, N. A. Layeni, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N1m with two sureties in like sum.

The magistrate said one of the sureties must be a blood relation, one must be a landed property owner, and both must have evidence of tax payments.

The case was adjourned till October 7, 2015.