The police in Lagos have arraigned a 27-year-old, Yusuf Atanda, for allegedly impersonating Pastor Enoch Adeboye and two other church heads to defraud members of the public.
The police say that Mr Atanda created fake Facebook accounts of Adeboye of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Kayode Olukoya of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministry (MFM), and Temitope Joshua of Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN).
The suspect, who is resident in Okokomaiko, Lagos pleaded not guilty to the offence.
Magistrate M.O Tanimola granted the suspect bail in the sum of N100, 000 with two sureties in like sum.
Tanimola said that the sureties should be gainfully employed and must show evidence of two years’ tax payment to Lagos State Government.
Police prosecutor, Aondohemba Koti, told the court that Atanda committed the alleged offence in October 2018 at Okokomaiko.
“He posed as the pastors and sent electronic messages to the public to deposit either N1, 000 or N2, 000 into a bank account to get N3, 000 or N5, 000, respectively, in four days.
“If they pay and it is four days, he will block the persons’ numbers so they would not be able to reach him anymore.
“Upon receipt of a written petition from one of the complainant’s legal counsel, the police swung into action, and the defendant was tracked and arrested.
“The amount of money the defendant got from over 100 members of the public was yet to be ascertained,” the prosecutor said.
The magistrate adjourned the case until April 17 for mention.
