How security guard impersonated Pastor Adeboye, defrauded victims

An Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Lagos state on Tuesday arraigned one Awobola Babatunde, a security man with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, who allegedly opened a bank account in the name of the General Overseer, Pastor E.A. Adeboye. According to the prosecutor, Insp. Aighoi Gbemileke, the accused with others still at large committed the offences on June 6 at No. 1/9, Redemption Way, Ebute Meta, at 9.00 a.m.
Gbemileke said the accused stole a Fidelity Bank cheque valued at N600, 000 belonging to the RCCG General Overseer, falsely accused and presented himself as Pastor Adeboye by opening a savings account at Aguda, Surulere branch of Fidelity Bank in his name.

The prosecutor said, “Babatunde, 32, opened the account in order to cash the cheque and convert the money to personal use.
“He also opened the account in order to be stealing money from the church as they plan to pay in more cheques,” the prosecutor added, noting that the offences violated Sections 285, 378, 404 and 408 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The accused who is facing 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, however pleaded not guilty.
The Magistrate, Mrs. B. Folarin-Williams, in her ruling, admitted the accused to a bail of N100, 000 in addition to two sureties in like sum.

She adjourned to August 4 for mention, ordering that the sureties must be blood relations of the accused and also produce evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government as part of the bail conditions.