Pastor Abrefera |
Two
‘men of God’ Pastor Glory Abrefera and Reverend Vincent Okpogo have
been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment each by Justice Ibrahim Buba of
the Federal High Court, Asaba, Delta State. Justice Buba found Pastor Abrefera and Reverend Okpogo including their company, Mustard Seed
Micro Investment Limited guilty on a four count charge of carrying out
banking practice without licence. The accused persons were said to have
collected over N1 billion from different individuals and organizations
as deposits in an
illegal banking practice. They have also failed to account for all the
deposits they collected.
Pastor Abrefera and Reverend Okpogo |
Mustard
Seed Micro Investment Limited was convicted on two counts and fined N2
million on each of the counts. Pastor Abrefera and Reverend Okpogo, both
directors of Mustard Seed Micro Investment limited, were also convicted
on two counts and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment each. They were
equally fined N2 million on each of the counts. The terms are to run
concurrently.
The
accused persons were said to have sometimes between 2006 and 2007 at
Warri, Delta State engaged in banking practice without the required
banking license and thereby committed an offence contrary to section
2(2) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act, Cap B3, Vol 2,
Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
Part
of the charges reads: “that Pastor Glory Okeoghene Abrefera, Reverend
Vincent Okpogo and Mrs Nonye Abrefera (still at large) whilst being
directors of Mustard Seed Micro Investment Limited sometime between 2006
and 2007 at Warri, Delta State within the jurisdiction of the Federal
High Court knowingly consented to the carrying on of banking business
without a valid licence by the company thereby committed an offence
contrary to Section (2) and 49(1)of the Banks and other Financial
Institutions Act Cap B(3), Vol 2, laws of the Federation of Nigeria
2004”.
The
so-called men of God were arrested following a petition filed by some
of the depositors to the EFCC, detailing the dubious activities of the
accused persons. The EFCC subsequently intervened, investigated the
activities of the voodoo bank and arraigned the suspects in 2011.
Counsel
to EFCC, G. K. Latona described the judgment as a milestone in the
Nigerian judiciary. He said it was the first time that persons were
convicted for carrying out banking practice without the required
licence. He said the judgment would serve as a deterrent to other
persons engaging in such nefarious activities.
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