A Pastor, Paul Oyewole had been dragged before an Akure Magistrate Court for alleged staging, falsely publishing and posting his own obituary on social media to evade payment of N3m borrowed from a church member.
The 43-year-old Oyewole was said to have fraudulently obtained the N3m from Boyede Emmanuel with a pledge to pay back the money within a week but failed to pay back the money.
He was alleged to have falsely published and posted his obituary on WhatsApp after he had sent a fake alert to U.B.A account No. 2140338283, knowing fully that he did not have such an amount in his bank account.
He was also alleged to have threatened the complainant on phone, with the intent to intimidate him and also conducted himself in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace, by stripping himself naked in front of the complainant’s house.
The Police Prosecutor, Sergeant Akao Moremi said the defendant committed the offence between November 25, 2021, and May 7, 2022, along the Valentino area in Ondo town.
He said the offence is contrary to and punishable under Sections 419, 86, and 125A(1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Volume 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.
The cleric, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.
The prosecutor told the court that he would call four witnesses to testify in the case and applied for a date to enable him to study the case file.
Counsel to the defendant, Mrs Queen Arokoyo, applied for the bail in most liberal terms, promising that the defendant would not jump bail, but stand his trial.
The presiding Magistrate, Mrs Mosunmola Ikujuni, granted the defendant N1m bail with two credible sureties each in like sum.
She said one of the sureties must be a house owner, residing within the jurisdiction, while the original and photocopy of the Identification card must be attached and adjourned the case till February 13, 2023, for a hearing.
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