By Damilola Akinmolayan
When the case of the Whole Bible Believer Church in Ondo town involving five pastors who were charged with kidnapping of their 77 members at an Akure Magistrates’ Court came up again last Friday, July 8, Counsel to the accused persons, Oladele Ayoola, demanded for the substitution of the charge before the court.
The police prosecutor Augustine Omhenimhen on July 7, 2022 had earlier told the court that the pastors conspired together to commit felony to with kidnapping.
He said the accused persons unlawfully imprisoned the children of one Elizabeth Reuben and prevented their parents from having access to them.
The prosecutor said they also took the custody and harboured the wife and children of one Patrick Olaniyan and blocked access to them.
He said they accused persons also unlawfully lured and harboured one Priscilla Olorunyomi and prevented her from embarking on her education pursuit.
Omhenimhen said the accused persons unlawfully deprived the church members of their freedom against their will and also placed them in a dehumanizing environment which made them prone to diseases.
The accused persons were also accused of assaulting, resisting and willfully obstructing Inspector Rotimi Ogunji while on lawful duty.
They were also charged over unlawfully take away or underaged girls from the protection of their parents without their permission.
The offence contravened and punishable under Section 225, 361, 364 (2), 365, 365(2), 516 of the Criminal Code Cap, 37. Volume 1, Laws of Ondo State, 2006.
Meanwhile, on July 8, the defense counsel of the accused persons, Oladele Ayoola demanded for the substitution of the earlier charge before the court which accused the pastors of kidnapping members of the church.
He said his clients did not kidnap anyone but they voluntarily came to them.
In his ruling, Magistrate O.R Yakubu ordered that the accused persons be remanded in police custody, pending the time DPP will issue legal advice.
He, thereafter, adjourned the case till July 18, 2022 for DPP to issue legal advise on remand application.
On July 7, the pastors were arraigned before an Akure Magistrates’ Court on a 10-count charge bordering on kidnapping and unlawful habour.
Five pastors in the church; David Anifowose, 64, Josiah Peter, 49, Stephen Olawole, 51, Blessing John, 60 and Gbenga Ayembo Gbenga, 56, were arrested by security agents after frantic efforts to gain access to the church premises in Ondo town.
The Hope gathered that the pastor of the church had earlier been charged to court in Ondo this year after one of his church members reported him to the police.
A source revealed to The Hope that the pastor was accused of anti-social behaviour and related accusations including keeping one of the children in his church.
It was further gathered that some of the church members, especially the young ones, supported the church against their parents in court, giving an indication that they were brainwashed.
When inquired about the court case, a source close to the church revealed that the case was struck out due to the intervention of an unnamed personality.
Some of the residents who confided in The Hope said members of the church have been very violent and they practice doctrines alien to teachings of the Bible.
They said the church keeps children against the wish of their parents and beat them up if they dare try to take their children home.
The elated residents said the church and its members does not honour the police and through their teachings and doctrines scattered homes, relationships and made students drop out from schools.
“There were women who divorced their husbands to live here. No non member can enter the church. They don’t even honour the police. We are happy that they are no longer here.”
Residents around the church lamented that they had earlier complained about the church’s wrong teachings and practices, making many of them to stop worshipping in the church without any action.
They however expressed relief that security men have worked on the complaints of some parents who reported the case to the police in Ondo town.
A middle-aged man, Mr Tunde Akinola who also resides in the street described the church as a very dangerous place which has been tearing families apart with false doctrines.
He described the activities of the church as against the teachings of Christ.
He said “the man who started the church had been chased away and they took over the church. What was happening here was not ordinary. What they were doing here were against what the bible says we should be doing.
“The pastor is known for drinking alcohol in the church. We even found used condoms inside the church when we went inside. A wife will leave her husband and be living here. They have caterers cooking for the people camped in the church. We are happy that the government is involved now.”
A woman who lives in the street expressed happiness at the latest development, stating that the church have been a menace to the street for a very long time with their dangerous activities and the intervention of relevant authorities was a relief for the people.
She said “we are very happy that this church is sealed now. It has always been a problem for us in this street. If you walk pass this church and we dare look at them, they will throw stones at us.
“They will keep children here against the wish of their parents and beat them up if they dare try to take their children home. There were women who divorced their husbands to live here. Nobody can enter the church. They don’t even honour the police. We are happy that they are no longer here.”
Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Ondo West Local government chapter, Rev’d Dr. Sunday Olowoniyi said the incident is a vivid representation of the challenges the body and the community are currently facing from churches that are not registered under any of the five bloc of CAN.
He said “we are aware of the development. Even though the church is in Ondo west local government, the man in question is not a member of the Christian Association of Nigeria. A woman was brought to my office on Friday.
“She narrated how her children are locked up in a church in the name of a programme. She described how she was thrown over the fence for trying to get her children. CAN taskforce accompanied the woman to the place but they were denied access.”
He continued that “so, I informed human rights officers and the police about the issue and they went there with the woman. Some of the police and human rights officers who went there were attacked and injured by members of the church. I went down to the church alongside security officers to monitor the situation. The police officers were able to gain entrance into the church after a long time and arrests were made. The children found there were released. The mother of the girl told me yesterday that the girl has written her common entrance examinations. The case has been taken to Akure for further investigations.”
He added that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the local government has made it a duty to ensure that churches who are fond of perpetrating evil in the name of God are disallowed from operating within the local government area.