One of the regional Ministers of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG,
Pastor Mark Barango, has commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for being "an agent of transformation.
He said this while receiving a sum of N11, 984, 844, 11(Eleven
Million, Nine Hundred and Eighty Four Thousand, Eight Hundred and Forty
Four Naira, Eleven Kobo only), recovered and returned to the church by
the EFCC".
Mr. Ishaq Salihu, South- South Zonal Head of the EFCC,
in Port Harcourt, Rivers State handed over the money to him. The money
was stolen by a banker and the Account Officer of the church,
Ameh Cyril Idakwoji, in a web of fraudulent diversion and suppression of the finances of the church.
According to the EFCC, troubles came for Idakwoji when Access Bank
Plc petitioned the EFCC about some missing funds in the accounts of one
of its corporate customers in Port Harcourt. The customer, Jepthah
International School, East- West Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State,
could not access N37,000,000( Thirty- Seven Million Naira only) in its
account with the bank. The bank traced the scam to one of its staff,
Idakwoji and named him the mastermind of the fraudulent dealings.
Idakwoji doubled as the Account Officer of Jepthah International School
and Redeemed Christian Church of God, Region 5, Port Harcourt, Rivers
State.
He defrauded the RCCG by suppressing and diverting cheques and cash
meant for the Church to cover his shady deals in Jepthah International
School. He was covering up by giving fake Statements of Accounts to both
the school and the church. To execute his criminal schemes in RCCG, he
forged the letter heads of the church's Region 5 and the signatures of
the Pastor in charge of the Region. He also forged the signature of the
church's accountant and attached same to the August 2017 Salary Schedule
of Jepthah International school to the tune of ( N7, 129, 128. 78).
The Church denied giving instruction for the payment of the salary of
the school. Investigations by the Commission uncovered all the criminal
movements of the fund of the church by Idakwoji and a sum of N11, 987,
844.11 found to have been stolen have now been recovered and returned to
the church.
It will be recalled that a sum of N36,000,000( Thirty Six Million
Naira), recovered from Idakwoji, was returned to the management of
Jepthah International School by the EFCC in September.
While presenting the money to the church, Salihu emphasized the
commitment of the EFCC to bursting any financial and economic scam, no
matter how complex. He reiterated the zero- tolerance of the Commission
for corrupt practices and warned criminal elements in the country to
desist from fraudulent practices. " Crime and criminality are not
limited to any group of people. They have no creed, no gender and no
religion. The RCCG is a large church and we are pleased to have been
able to recover the stolen money for the church", he said.
An appreciative Pastor Barango promised that the church will continue to pray for the continued success of the Commission.
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