Admin l Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018
IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – A Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos has adjourned ruling on bail application of a Lagos-based pastor, Prophet Cletus Ilongwo, who is on trial for N85 million fraud.
Ilongwo, the Presiding Pastor Power of the Holy Ghost Evangelical Ministry, was arraigned for allegedly defrauding a former member of his congregation to the tune of N85 million. The pastor was arrested in his church in the Shoba Community, Abule-Ado, Lagos by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission after a former member of the church reported that he defrauded him of N85m and jumped bail
Ilongwo had pleaded not guilty to11 count charge bordering on fraud. At today hearing, his counsel, Titilola Akinlawon (SAN), urged the court to admit the defendant to bail in a most liberal terms, stressing that Ilongwo was not in good health, and never convicted of any criminal charges.
Objecting the bail application, the prosecution counsel, Ahmed Yerima, urged the court to refuse the defendant bail on the ground that the defendant jumped the administrative bail granted him at the anti-graft commission.
“The respondent in the affidavit said the defendant jumped bail granted him at the commission but failed to tell the court that in the interim, the defendant filed a civil case against them in respect of the matter so it is wrong for them to say that if the defendant is granted bail, he will not return for trial. I submit that the defendant, a man of God with over 3,000 members in his congregation would as a matter of necessity show good leadership return to this court for his trial. I will urge my Lord to use his discretion in favour of the defendant to grant him bail on a liberal term.”
The presiding judge, Justice Sherifat Solebo, however, adjourned till November 19 for the ruling on the bail application and commencement of trial.
