An Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State on Friday
admitted a self-acclaimed bishop, Bankole Jefferson, to a N1.5 million
bail, after being charged with N9 million fraud.
The
Chief Magistrate, Mrs Yewande Aje-Afunwa, ruled that the accused must
produce two sureties, who must show evidence of payment of three years
tax to the Lagos State Government.
Jefferson,
54, bishop of Mercy Tabernacle Church, Ogba, Lagos, is standing trial
on a three -count charge of conspiracy, fraud and stealing. Earlier,
the Prosecutor, Insp. Peter Nwangwu told the court that Jefferson
committed the offences sometime in January in Ogba, Lagos.
Nwangwu
said the accused obtained the money from the complainant, Mr Akinyemi
Adebayo, on the pretext of supplying diesel. According to him, the
accused committed the offences by conspiring with others still at large.
“The complainant reported the case
to the police who later discovered after series of investigations that
the accused is fraudulent. Jefferson avoided being arrested by
travelling to the U.S. on an unknown mission.
The
accused, on his return, was apprehended by the police and while trying
to defend himself claimed that the money he collected from the
complainant was for offering in the church.
The
accused converted the money to personal use and all efforts to recover
the money proved abortive,’’ Nwangwu said. The accused, however, entered
a not ` guilty plea’ and his lawyer applied for bail on liberal terms.
The case was adjourned until Nov. 20.