14th February, 2012
A suspect who allegedly pretended to be a worshiper, Babatunde Ige, 26, has been arrested by the police at Onikan Division, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, southwest Nigeria.
He was recently arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court on a one-count charge of stealing N14,610 from the offering box of Church of Assumption, Falomo in Ikoyi.
The police stated in the charge sheet that the accused was arrested following a complaint by the security man in the church who claimed that he caught the suspect stealing money from inside the offering box. He said he saw him through the CCTV camera mounted within the church premises, which he monitors from his security post.
During interrogation, the accused confessed to stealing the money from the church’s offering box.
“This is my second time of stealing money from the church’s offering box. The first was last year when I stole N5,000 successfully and I steal only N1,000 denominations with a curved tiny iron and scissors.
“I would remain inside the church after closing hours pretending to be praying, and after I notice that the place is empty, I would move closer to where the church offerings boxes are kept and remove the highest denominations.
“I started to worship in the church last year to steal and not to worship God after I realised that the high and mighty go there to worship and donate generously. .
Items recovered from the accused include a tiny curved iron, scissors and the stolen N14,610.00.
The offence, according to the prosecutor, Sergeant Babatope is punishable under Section 309 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and the presiding magistrate W. B. Balogun admitted him to bail in the sum of N23,000 with one surety who must show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State government.
The accused has been remanded in Ikoyi Prison when nobody came to bail him before the court closed for the day.
—Paul Iyoghojie