RCCG PASTOR CARRIES TWO YEARS IN PRISON FOR ISSUING A BOGUS $1.6 MILLION CHECK

Ayodeji Oluokun, an assistant pastor of the Redeem Christian Church of God (RCCG), City of David Parish, Victoria Island, Lagos, was sentenced to two years in prison on Wednesday by an Ikeja Special Offences Court for issuing a 1.6 million dollar dud cheque.

According to reports, Oluokun and his company, Peak Petroleum Industry Nigeria Ltd., were charged on an amended six-count charge involving the issuance of a forged cheque, stealing, and obtaining money under false pretenses. In her decision, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo held that the prosecution had successfully proven the charge of issuance of a dud cheque against the defendants.

Taiwo, on the other hand, discharged and acquitted the defendants of steeling and obtaining money by deception. "The defendant issued two cheque in the sum of 1.6 million dollars to the nominal complainant, which was dishonoured because there was no fund in the defendant's account. Issuance of cheque for lack of credit is a strict liable offence.

The judge stated that the first defendant was aware of all of this and still issued the cheque dated June 24, 2014. This court believes that the defendant was intentional in issuing the bad check. He is found guilty of counts one and two of issuing a bad check.

The judge then sentenced the first defendant to two years in prison or a N2 million fine, and the second defendant to a N2 million fine. She ordered the convict to pay 1.6 million dollars in restitution to the nominal complainant within 18 months. In his allocutus, the defence counsel, Mr Edoka Onyeke, asked the court to grant the convict a non-custodial sentence, stating that he was a pastor and could use his pastoral work to serve humanity through community service.