A 28-year-old member of God of Truth Covenant Evangelical Church, Idimu, Lagos, has set the church ablaze over alleged fake prophecies by the owner of the church.
The culprit, Oluwatosin Adegoke, was said to have got tired of the church’s purported deceit over false prophecies and burnt down the church.
The church is located at Akinbolade Street, off Arobaba Street, Idimu area of Lagos state.
Adogoke had been a member of the church for several years but his condition worsened, P.M Express reports.
According to the residents, Adegoke alleged that the owner of the church, a prophetess was fake as prophecies issued to him had been unfulfilled and his condition worsened.
He ordered the prophetess to close the church but the owner ignored him. He then allegedly took a substance suspected to be premium motor spirit to the church and set it ablaze. All the properties inside the church got burnt including musical equipment, public address system, and chairs.
After causing the damage to the church building, Adegoke waited in front of the church until he was arrested by police operatives from Area M Command, Idimu, for arson.
During interrogation, the prophetess claimed Adegoke was mentally ill and that was why he went to burn the church but Adegoke denied that he mentally ill and asked the police to inquire from the cleric why he burnt the church twice.
After interrogating him, the police found him culpable and subsequently charged him before the Ejigbo Magistrates Court for arson. Adegoke pleaded guilty.
The prosecutor, Inspector Benedict Aigbokhan, asked the court to give a short adjournment to enable him to present the facts for the court to sentence Adegoke accordingly.
The Presiding Magistrate, E. O. Ogunkanmi, ordered his remand in the Correctional Centre at Kirikiri town, Lagos and adjourned the matter to Monday, July 26.