Two pastors sentenced to prison for stealing N32m

Juliana Francis

Pastor Glory Okeoghene Aberefa and Reverend Vincent Okpogo, have both been sentenced to prison for stealing.

The pastors were convicted by Justice F. N. Azinge of the Delta State High Court, sitting in Otor-Udu. The Aberefa and Okpogo were sentenced to 16 and 10 years imprisonment respectively.

The convicts, alongside their company, Mustard Seed Micro Investment Limited, were prosecuted by the Benin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), on 16-count charges, bordering on conspiracy to steal and stealing, contrary to Section 516 and 390 (9) of the Criminal Code, CAP 21, Vol 1, Laws of Delta State of Nigeria, 2006.

They pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, upon their arraignment on June 19, 2017.

Their trial by the EFCC legal team of V. O. Agbaje and K. U. Udus followed a petition and investigation which fingered them in the stealing of the sum of N32,516,620.00 .

Trouble started for the convicts, when under the guise of running a finance company, defrauded dozens of unsuspecting members of the public of millions of naira, through their fraudulent Mustard Seed Micro Investment Limited.

It would be recalled that the convicts, who are already serving terms in prison, having been earlier jailed 17 years by the Federal High Court, Asaba and Delta State High Court, Warri, in Delta State, would serve a new sentence, which Justice Azinge said would take effect after they have completed the extant 17 years imprisonment.

The first defendant, Pastor Aberefa was sentenced to one year imprisonment on each of the 16 counts, while the second defendant, Reverend Okpogo was sentenced to one year imprisonment each on count seven to 16, all of which run consecutively.