In a shocking development, the assistant general superintendent of the Assemblies of God church has dragged the factional general superintendent and six others to the EFCC for allegedly diverting the church's fund into personal use.
According to a Vanguard report, Rev. Ramsey Ogagaoghene who is the assistant general superintendent has sent a petition to the EFCC.
Ogagaoghene accused Rev. Dr. Chidi Okoroafor, the factional general superintendent, who was was the assistant general superintendent until March, 2014. and six others of embezzling N100 billion which belonged to the church.
Mr. Eli Ugwu who is the counsel to the assistant general superintendent submitted the petition to the EFCC on behalf of the petitioner and four others. The group accused Okoroafor of approving projects without following due process. The group urged the commission to look into the fraudulent acts.
Part of the petition read: “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 group accused Alaje of collecting N28.5 million as staff investment premium without authorisation. The petition claimed that the money was deposited in a Diamond Bank account.