$1.6 Fraud: RCCG Popular Pastor Arraigned by EFCC

The trial of an RCCG Assistant Pastor, Ayodeji Ibrahim Oluokun continued on Wednesday September 23 at the Ikeja Special Offences Court, Lagos.

Oluokun who is said to be an Assistant Pastor of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), City of David Parish, Victoria Island, Lagos, was dragged before the court on alleged issuance of dud cheques worth $1.6 million by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), TheConscience reports.

Oluokun who is also an oil marketer was charged before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo led-court alongside his oil firm, Peak Petroleum Industry Nigeria Limited.

The defendant and his company were first arraigned before the court on January 21, 2019, on two counts charge of the offence. The charge was later reviewed to five count charges on July 30, this year upon additional facts which emerge as a result of Investigation.

EFCC has so far called three witnesses, the complainant, the company secretary and a staff of Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited to prove the allegations against the defendant

EFCC in a charge marked ID/8509c/19, alleged that the defendant and his company, sometimes in 2014, approached the management of GOSL Nigeria Limited, for a loan of $1 million and $666,666 respectively to enable him carry out operation activities in his company’s oil field in Bayelsa State.

Pastor Oluokun was said to have assured the company which is the complainant in the charge against him, that he would repay the money within a year.

Following the defendant’s failure to repay the loan as promised, he was alleged to have issued two post-dated Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited cheques dated June 26, 2014 for the sum of $1 million and $666,666 respectively.

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The EFCC stated that upon presentation of the cheques to the bank for withdrawal by the complainant for withdrawal on several occasions, they were returned due to insufficient funds.

The offence according to the prosecution is contrary to and punishable under Section 1(1) (b) of the Dishonoured Cheques (Offences) Act, Cap D 11 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The Pastor had, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and accordingly admitted to bail in some terms and conditions.

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the charges read: “That you, Ayodeji Ibrahim Oluokun and Peak Petroleum Industry Nigeria Limited, on or about 26th June, 2014, at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division issued a Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited Cheque dated 26th June, 2014 for the sum of $1,000,000 (One Million Dollars) only payable to GOSL Nigeria Limited, which when presented for payment was dishonoured on the grounds that no sufficient funds were standing to the credit of the account on which cheque was drawn.”

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The second count reads: “That you, Ayodeji Ibrahim Oluokun and Peak Petroleum Industry Nigeria Limited, on or about 26th June, 2014, at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division issued a Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited Cheque dated 26th June, 2014 for the sum $666,666 (Six Hundred and Sixty-Six Thousand, Six Hundred and Sixty-Six Dollars only) payable to GOSL Nigeria Limited which when presented for payment was dishonoured on the grounds that no sufficient funds were standing to the credit of the account on which cheque was drawn.”