A Nigerian High Court has
sentenced two ‘men of God’,
Pastor Glory Abrefera and
Reverend Vincent Okpogo to
10 years imprisonment each
over a N1 billion deposit scam. Justice Ibrahim Buba of the
Federal High Court in Asaba,
capital of Delta state, found
the duo and 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. 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 charge 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 Pastor Glory Abrefera and Rev Vincent Okpogo Sh lindaikeji..no/2013/01/2-pastors-jailed-ten-years-over-n1.html?m=1

Pastors!!

rugged