Man Bags 6-Month Jail Term For Stealing N214,000 From Church’s Coffer

Elochukwu Nnoruga, 28, has been sentenced to six months in jail for stealing N214, 000 – tithe belonging to St Patrick Catholic Church, Idumaigbo, Lagos.

The accused on Thursday appeared before the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court in Lagos, where the Magistrate, Ade Adefulire, held that he would spend the next six months in Ikoyi Prisons with an option of fine.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), gathered that the accused was arraigned on August 17, on suspicion that he stole the amount from the Church’s tithe box.

Straightaway, the suspect pleaded guilty to the one-count charge of theft.

While delivering his verdict, the magistrate frowned in disgust that people could still steal from the house of God.

“It is a pity that people do not see the house of God as sacred anymore.

“This judgment should serve as a lesson to the public, if you choose crime instead of hard work, the hand of the law will always catch up with you.

“Nnoruga, you are hereby sentenced to six months imprisonment without an option of fine,” he declared.

Mr Ben Ekundayo, the prosecutor, had told the court that the convict committed the offence on Aug. 14, at about 2 p.m., at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Idumaigbo, Lagos.

Ekundayo said that the convict stole N214, 000 from the tithe box after Church service.

He said that the offence contravened Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

(NAN)