By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested the General Overseer of CAC Freedom City Prophetic and Deliverance Ministry in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, Prophet Adeniyi Abiodun James, for allegedly defrauding a member of the church to the tune of N3,980,000.
The General Overseer was arrested by the EFCC officers on Tuesday, April 2, 2024.
The EFCC, in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, on Saturday, April 6, said the victim, Oluwole Babarinsa, had in a petition to the commission, alleged that James called him out during a church programme in 2021 that he had a revelation that he would travel abroad.
According to the petitioner, the cleric, in the course of giving the revelation, asked him about his preferred country, to which he replied “Canada”.
Thereafter, they reportedly struck an agreement to talk later in order to perfect arrangements for the trip.
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The prophet, he said, later told him that he had a friend in Lagos who could help him facilitate his relocation to Canada, but at a cost of N1.7 million and N2.5 million for processing of flight ticket and travel documents, respectively.
The petitioner further disclosed that he had to sell some of his properties and took some loans before he could raise N3,980,000 which he gave the prophet to facilitate his quick relocation to Canada.
According to the EFCC, after prolonged waiting with no result, the petitioner became agitated and began to query the prophet’s vision, prompting him to ask for a refund of his money.
He said that all efforts and entreaties to the suspect to refund his money yielded no positive result.
The anti-graft agency added that the suspect will be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigations.