Pastors fight dirty over N16.5m church land commission

Three Pastors of the Living Faith Church also known as Winners Chapel at Isheri Olofin area of Lagos state are engrossed in serious fight over the sharing of N16.5m realized from the purchase of some parcel of land and property by the church in Lagos.

The fight which was said to have started from the church premises has now moved to the Lagos court where the parties are seeking justice.

The three pastors in the matter are Deacon Dolire Oluwaniyi who is also an estate agent on the one hand and two other Pastors, Edwin Iky and Peter O. Odama on the other hand the last two acted on behalf of the church over the purchase of the property.

In the suit before Magistrate's court sitting in Ogba, with suit number, MIK/4174/16, Deacon stated that the two pastors cheated him after they collected N140m from their General Overseer, Bishop David Oyedapo and paid N130m to the owner of the property.

Apart from that, Deacon Oluwaniyi also stated that as the agent who linked the church to the owner of the property, he was entitled to N6.5 million commission which was also paid by the church but was shared between the two pastors and he was not given a dime.

Following the alleged scam, the claimant dragged the church to the court seeking an order that he should be paid his commission as a registered agent with his company’s name, Bedek properties that facilitated the transaction.

In his affidavit in support of the claim, the claimant stated that his company wrote to the church introducing the properties which contain two big church halls and a story building on one acre of land located at Iyana Odo, along Igando road in Sheri Olofin area.

He stated that he was contacted through the pastors and he linked the church to the owner of the property, one Bishop Emmanuel Omobajesu.

The claimant said after the payment for the property and he demanded for his commission and the two pastors asked him to bear it as seed to the church where as they had already collected the money from the church.

The claimant also stated that the pastors involved in the transaction are not honest and sincere as they both ate with both hands and thereby soiled their hands in the transaction.

In response, the defendant under the registered trustee of the church stated that the claimant was not appointed as its agent, legal representative nor hold any partnership and did not authorized the claimant to act on behalf of the defendant.

It also stated that the claimant have no locus standi to sue the defendant as regard to the property and demanding N6.5m agency commission.

The presiding Magistrate Mrs. M.O Osibajo have adjourned the matter till 23 November, 2016 to deliver judgments on the motions filed by the parties.