CYRIACUS IZUEKWE
A 25-year old man, Samuel Israel, has allegedly committed sacrilege after he went to a Church in Lagos State, pretended to be praying with other members during the service, stole a woman’s phone while she was praying but was caught while escaping from the church.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Life Liberation Church located at Omonile area of Abule-Ado, Lagos, where the victim, Glory Adetoye, went for Church service.
According to the Police, the suspect, Israel, went to the Church and sat beside the victim, Glory Adetoye, who was said to have kept her phone beside her, closed her eyes and was praying during the Church service.
In the course of the prayer session, the suspect, Israel, who pretended that to be praying alongside, observed that Glory had closed her eyes and was in deep prayer. He then quietly picked her phone and tried escaping from the Church before he was apprehended by the Church security guard on duty.
He was handed over to the Police at Trade Fair Division for interrogation. At the Police station, he reportedly confessed and told the Police that he actually went to the Church to steal as he was not one of their members before he was caught in the act.
The Police found him culpable for committing sacrilege and subsequently charged him before the Ojo Magistrates Court for stealing.
He pleaded not guilty before the Court when he was arraigned.
The prosecutor, Inspector E. Adesulu, then asked the Court to give a date for hearing since he pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that he actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. D.S. Oduleoya, granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood.
The Court adjourned the matter till 8th August, 2022, for mention while the defendant was remanded in the Correctional Centre at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when he will perfect his bail conditions.