Two members of staff at Oyedepo's Winners Chapel charged with stealing N38m from the church

TWO staff members of the Living Faith Church popularly known as Winners Chapel working at its Canaanland headquarters in Ota have been arrested and charged to court with theft for stealing a sum of N38m ($104,875).

Winners Chapel is owned by Bishop David Oyedepo, who is listed by Forbes as the wealthiest clergyman in the world with a value of $150m, although it is believed be is worth a lot more than that as many of his assets are not valued. In what is effectively stealing from Bishop Oyedepo, Afolabi Samuel, 46, and Blessing Kolawole, 39, two members of his staff decided to help themselves to some of his wealth.

Subsequently, they were arrested by the Ogun State Police Command and arraigned before an Ota Magistrates Court. Prosecutor Sergeant Abdulkareem Mustapha, told the court that the accused persons committed the offence between December 1 and 15 2018, about 10am at the Living Faith Church, Canaanland, Ota.

Mr Mustapha said that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 390(2)(6)(8b) (9) and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun, 2006. After the charges were read to them, both defendants pleaded not guilty and chief magistrate Mathew Akinyemi, admitted them to bail in the sum of N2m each with two sureties each in like sum.

Magistrate Akinyemi ordered that the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and be gainfully employed with evidence of tax payment to the Ogun State government. He then adjourned the case until February 20 for further hearing.