Man arrested and jailed for stealing Church offering

A 39-year old man, Stephen Abiodun who
went to a Celestial Church of Christ, Egan
parish, Lagos, southwest Nigeria, to seek
spiritual deliverance has ended up in prison
after he stole the church offering.
He was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment
without an option of fine at Ejigbo
Magistrates' Court Lagos on a three-count
charge for felony, beaking and entering and
stealing under the Criminal Code.
He was jailed after he pleaded guilty before
the presiding Magistrate, Mr P. E. Nwaka
and admitted that he broke a box containing
the church offering money and stole
N190,000. He also told the court he did so
with two of his friends now at large because
they were indebted and wanted to pay those
debts.
The incident happened 39-year old Abiodun
went to the church located at 24 Adisat Falae
street, Egan to seek spiritual deliverance for
his predicament.
He attributed his dismissal from his job as a
result of spiritual attack and was introduced
to the church by his mom for deliverance and
prayers.
While he was in the church, he observed that
the church congregation were dropping
money in the offering box.
After the church prayed and delivered him, a
few days later, he contacted two of his friends
and they went and broke into the church
broke the offering box and carted away
N190,000.
However, one of the church members who
saw them that night and recognized Abiodun
reported that he saw Abiodun with others in
the night at the church premises.
The matter was reported at Igando police
division and he was arrested and taken to the
station where he confessed.
When he was arraigned in court, he also
confessed and said that he incurred debts in
a hotel where they drank and they were
thinking how to off set the debts before he
suggested to his friends.
In his statement in the court, Abiodun said he
was introduced to the church by his mom for
prayers and deliverance and after the
prayer, he returned home and went out with
his friends to drink in a hotel.
He said the money they had could not pay
their bills and he suggested to his friends
about going to the church to steal the money.
Abiodun said his friends bought the idea and
they went and broke into the church through
the window and went straight to the offering
box and broke it and took away the money.
He said they did not touch any other thing
inside the church except the money which he
said belong to God.
He pleaded for leniency and told the court
that he did not know the strange spirit that
possessed him.
The court found him guilty and sentenced him
accordingly.
However, the court ruled that the three count
charge will run concurrently. Therefore,
Abiodun will only spend six months in prison.