An Ondo-based clergyman, Paul Oyewole, has been remanded by a state Magistrate Court for faking his own death.
It was gathered that the 43-year-old cleric posted his obituary on social media to evade the N3 million debt payment he owed one of his church members.
According to reports, one Emmanuel Boyede lent the sum of N3 million to the preacher, who promised to pay back the money within seven days.
However, Oyewole failed to redeem his pledge, Police Prosecutor, Moremi Akao, told the court.
In a bid to evade the debt, Akao said the accused falsely published and posted his obituary on WhatsApp after sending a fake bank alert to his creditor.
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He was also said to have threatened the creditor on the phone.
”He committed the offence between the 25th of November, 2021, and the 7th of May, 2022, in the Valentino area of Ondo town, punishable under Sections 419, 86, and 125A(1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Volume 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006,” Akao said.
When the charges were read to him in the courtroom, the preacher pleaded not guilty.
The defendant’s counsel, Arokoyo Queen, applied for the cleric bail in the most liberal terms, promising he would not jump bail.
However, the presiding Magistrate Mosunmola Ikujuni granted the defendant N1 million bail with two sureties each in like sum. Stating that one of the sureties must be residing within the jurisdiction, a house owner, attached with the identification card.
Presiding Magistrate, thereafter, adjourned the case till the 13th of February 2023 for hearing