Why Lagos court sentenced ‘Popular Prophet’ to seven years imprisonment
A Lagos Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos yesterday, sentenced a ‘Prophet’, Cletus Ilongwo, to seven years imprisonment over N59.7 million fraud.
Justice Sherifat Solebon gave the sentence after finding Ilongwo guilty of the seven-count charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Ilongwo, the presiding Pastor of the Power of the Holy Ghost Evangelical Ministry, allegedly defrauded a former member of his church, Obinna Ezenwaka.
The anti-graft agency had alleged that the convict received the said amount from Ezenwaka on different occasions in 2016 on the pretence of helping him to purchase a property located at 165c Diamond Estate, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos.
According to the anti-graft agency, Ilongwo collected the money in tranches through his Zenith Bank account 1003455899.
In the convict’s plea for mercy, his counsel, Mr. Albert Imolodia said he was a first time offender and a family man with dependants that relies on him for survival.
He urged the court to be lenient in its sentence, noting that some of the money has been restituted to the complainant and he is remorseful.
However, the EFCC counsel, Nwandu Kalu Ukoha prayed the court to give him maximum sentence as required by law and a restitution order in line with the Advance Fee Fraud Act.
After citing plethora of decided cases , Justice Solebon said the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and ordered the forfeiture of Ilongwo’s property situated at No 3 Popoola Ajayi Street at Diamond Estate, Amuwo Odofin and Toyota Prado, to Federal Government as restitution to settle the complainant.
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