Lagos-based prophet Cletus Ilongwo was sentenced by the Ikeja Special Offences Court to seven years in prison for defrauding a church member of N59.7million.

Remember that the EFCC arraigned Ilongwo in 2018 for defrauding a member of Power of the Holy Ghost Evangelical Ministry, Lagos after the member reported a case of fraud against him in the amount of N 85million

According to the member of the church, Ilongwo's actions cost him his job at one of the first-generation banks in the country.

Today, September 22, Ilongwo, was found guilty of seven counts of charges bordering on fraud and stealing.

Justice Sherifat Solebo delivered judgment and ordered that the property at No. 3 Popoola Ajayi St. Diamond Estate, Amuwo Odofin to the complainant

"His Toyota Prado is also to be forfeited to the Federal Government as restitution to settle the complainant," Solebo said.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) submitted that the convict on January 29, 2016, defrauded a former member of his congregation, Mr. Obinna Ezenwaka.

EFCC counsel, Nwandu Ukoha, told the court that Ilongwo collected the sum in tranches through his bank.

Ukoha said that the convict received the amount from Ezenwaka on different occasions in 2016 on the pretext of helping him to purchase a property located at 165c Diamond Estate, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos.



The defense counsel, Mr. Albert Imolodia, in his allocutions, informed the court that the convict was a first-time offender.

"He is a family man who has people that rely on him for their survival. We pray the court to temper justice with mercy," Imolodia said.

The EFCC counsel, however, urged the court to give the convict the maximum sentence as required by law and a restitution order in line with the Advance Fee Fraud Act.