Operatives of State Intelligence Bureau (SIB), Lagos State Police Command, have arrested the General Overseer of Sufficient Grace Church, Pastor Okechukwu Joseph, for reportedly defrauding members of his church of huge sums of money.
The Pastor who borrowed money from his members, pretending it was needed to repair his car among other projects, while promising to pay back as soon as possible as he was expecting money from undisclosed sources.
However when those he borrowed from approached him to get their money, he came up with excuses and among his victims are women who do daily contribution (ajo) business.
According to The Nation, he had been making empty promises of paying back for about eight years.
Explaining his involvement in the offence the suspect Joseph said: “I am married with two children. I am from Okwe Oboro, Umuahia, Abia State. I know the complainant Miss Bridget Nwankwo as a member of my church. I had no misunderstanding with her.
What really happened is that I collected N308,000 from her to do some reconstruction work in my church where we were before I relocated, due to circumstances beyond my control.
I paid her N100,000. I was not able to pay the remaining N208,000, because money was not coming to me as before. She later reported me to SIB. The church I am pastoring is a growing church.
If you look at my body physique you will think that I have money. I had problems and that was why I had no money to pay her. I had a very serious financial problem.”