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
Source: PMNews
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