Assemblies Of God Church Drags Faction To EFCC

God is a fair judge but he is very merciful. This is why a faction of Assemblies of God Church is not waiting for Him to pass His verdict over allegations of fraudulent conversion of church funds against the factional General Superintendent and six others.

The Assistant General Superintendent, Rev. Ramsey Ogagaoghene has, therefore, petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the matter.

In the petition, Ogagaoghene noted that the factional General Superintendent, Rev. Dr. Chidi Okoroafor and six others allegedly embezzled over N100 billion belonging to the church. It explained that Rev. Okoroafor was the Assistant General Superintendent until March, 2014 when he could not account for funds of the church and formed a parallel group that threw the church into crisis.

The petition dated September, 2015 was submitted to the Commission by Mr. Eli Ugwu, counsel to the petitioner and four others. The group urged the Commission to investigate the alleged fraudulent conversion of money and embezzlement of funds belonging to the church by Rev. Okoroafor and his cohorts as they approved money for projects without due process of the church, and allegedly executed such projects by themselves.

“On behalf of the Assistant General Superintendent, Rev. Ramsey Ogagaoghene, Bright Arukwe, Clement Esochaghi, Oliver Udensi and Sunday Palma for and on behalf of pastors and other concerned members of the church, we claim that Rev. Vincent Alaje, Rev. Femi Adegoke, Mr. Dickson Ukpai, Mr. Michael Ugbor, Elder Mike Okoro and Tony Ewelike engaged in illegal and unauthorized business without the approval of the General Suprintendent.

“Alaje unilaterally spent about N115 million belonging to the church, personally negotiated and concluded payments for three plots of lands and has started developing the plots without the consent and authority of the General Superintendent and other officers of the church.

“Alaje was fond of commandeering the money of the church, approving same by himself, and authorized payments without the consent of the General Superintendent. This was evidenced by his requisition of 5/4/2013 for the sum of N1.5 million which he tagged, ‘Trip to Ibadan with family.’ The unilateral stashing of fund was after the church magnanimously approved N2 million for him,” the petition read in part.