Alleged N620m fraud: Court fixes June 2 to rule on case against Baptist pastors

Court

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, on Tuesday, slated June 2 to rule on a motion seeking to stop the trial of an Abuja-based pastor accused of misappropriating church funds to the tune of N620million.

The defendant, Reverend Isreal Akanji, who was formerly in charge of First Baptist Church, Garki, Abuja, is answering to a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery, and criminal diversion of church funds.

undermine me when I

He is standing trial alongside his colleague, Rev. Thomas Ekugbene Takpatore, and four others- Mr. Babatunde Adebayo, Mrs. Adenike Adebayo, Mr. Oladele Afolabi and Mrs. Gloria Olotu.

The defendants were in the charge that was entered against them by the Federal Government, alleged to have acted in breach of Section 97 of the Penal Code.

It was alleged that they had between 2012 and 2021, forged an amended version of the church’s constitution, falsely attributing it to a late lawyer, Akin Aina, who was the legal adviser and secretary of the church’s Board of Trustees.

However, at the resumed proceeding on Tuesday, the defendants, through their team of lawyers led by Chief Niyi Akintola, SAN, prayed the court to quash the charge which he described as incompetent.

In a motion they filed pursuant to sections 6(6) and 36 (5) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, as well as section 277 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015, the defendants prayed the court for “an order quashing all the five counts contained in the criminal charges dated December 13, 2024 and filed on December 20, 2024, preferred against the defendants/applicants in charge No M/CR/1045/2025 and accordingly discharge the defendants.”

The motion was supported by a 60 paragraphs affidavit, six exhibits and a written address.