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Former president of Christ Apostolic Church(CAC), Worldwide, Pastor Elijah Howard Oluseye was on Thursday arraigned before a Magistrate Court sitting in Iyaganku, Ibadan on a five count charge bordering on forgery of the church certificate.
The accused pastor was absent from court but his lawyer, Mr. J.O Famoyebi, explained that his client’s absence was due to a suit before Hon. Justice Ayo Emmanuel of Federal High Court in Ibadan seeking the withdrawal of an application filed by a faction of the church, Supreme Council of Christ Apostolic Church.
The lawyer told the court that the accused pastor will appear on the next adjourned date while Magistrate Taiwo Oladiran presiding over the matter adjourned the case to December 23, 2015 for proper arraignment.
Speaking to journalists outside the court, the National Director and Publicity Secretary of the church, Pastor Ade Alawode said the accused who retired in 2011 handed over the church certificate to his successor, Pastor Abraham Akinosun who acknowledged that he received the original document.
He said the certificate handed over by the accused was discovered to be forged while he withheld the original when the church wanted to appoint its new trustees and update its records at the Corporate Affairs Commission.
Pastor Alawode explained that it was the commission that complained to the police and arrested the accused who was later released. He added that it was learnt the accused has handed the church’s original certificate to its factional church, Supreme Council of Christ Apostolic Church.
Meanwhile, the accused who is a defendant in a suit that bordered on forgery of certificate issued by founders of the churches has filed an affidavit to discontinue with the litigation before the Federal High Court, Ibadan.
Pastor Oluseye in the application admitted that it was true that the certificate was forged as it was not the authentic one. He is now a prosecution witness against the remaining accused persons.
The case has been adjourned till December 8 by Justice Nathaniel Ayo- Emmanuel to allow the amended charge properly served on the two accused persons who were initially charged with Pastor Elijah Howard Oluseye,the former factional President of Christ Apostolic Church, Worldwide and late Johnson Olabisi who died recently.
The remaining accused persons in the case are former General Secretary of the church Pastor Gideon Okegwemeh and Akeem Mohammed former Director of Corporate Affairs Commission