Lagos-based Prophet is sentenced to seven years in prison for bilking a church member out of N59.7 million.

Cletus Ilongwo, a prophet with roots in Lagos, was given a seven-year prison term for cheating one of his church members out of N59.7 million by an Ikeja Special Offenses Court in Lagos.

The Presiding Pastor of the Power of the Holy Ghost Evangelical Ministry, Ilongwo, was found guilty of seven counts of theft and fraud-related offenses.
In her ruling, Justice Sherifat Solebo directed that the complainant be given the property that belonged to the convict and was located at No. 3 Popoola Ajayi St., Diamond Estate in Amuwo Odofin. In addition, Solebo stated, “His Toyota Prado is to be surrendered to the Federal Government as restitution to settle the complainant.”

According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the convictedon January 29, 2016. Nwandu Ukoha, an attorney for the EFCC, said the court that Ilongwo received the money in installments through his Zenith Bank account 1003*.

According to Ukoha, Ezenwaka gave the convict the money on several occasions in 2016 under the guise of aiding the convict in buying a house at 165c Diamond Estate, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos. In his allocutus, Mr. Albert Imolodia, the defense attorney, told the court that the defendant was a first-time offender. He is a devoted family man who provides for those who depend on him. We ask the court to balance pity with justice, Imolodia remarked.

However, the EFCC attorney requested the court to award the convicted party the maximum penalty.