by Rachel Ogbu
Rev. Praise Bassey of the Household of Destiny church in Ajao Estate, Lagos has been arrested by the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, for allegedly duping a contractor of N3m.
It was said that Bassey, who runs his church from his three-bedroom apartment at Gani Dabiri Street collected the money in 2010 promising to use it to buy the contractor a 1X35 Hyundai car.
Two years on, Bassey can neither provide the car nor refund the money.
A police source reportedly told Punch news that the contractor got acquainted with Bassey in 2010 when he visited her home in the company with a family friend.
“I learnt that Bassey informed the contractor that he lived in Korea and was into the car import business,” the source said.
According to reports, several months later, the contractor allegedly called to ask Bassey the price of a 1X35 Huyundai jeep.
“Bassey told the contractor that the cost of the car was N3m. She was to pay the amount into his Zenith bank account. After the money was paid, Bassey became evasive.”
[READ: #StoriesWeHear: Pastor arrested for selling drugs to ‘bring people closer to God’ ]
The Punch reports:
The petition, which was referred to the SCID through the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, led to Bassey’s arrest.
PUNCH Metro gathered that Bassey was able to secure bail the same day he was arrested in 2012.
He was said to have informed the police that the money was not given to him to buy a car, but to pray for the contractor’s success in her business. He was later given bail after he promised to refund the money.
The source said, “Part of his bail conditions was that Bassey would refund the money. At first, he paid N1.25m and promised to pay the remaining N1.75m. After securing his bail, Bassey absconded.”
He was rearrested by SCID operatives who were on his trail for many weeks.
The state command’s Police Commissioner Mr. Umar Manko, said, “I am aware of that case. When it came to me, I referred all the parties to the SCID. Obviously, Bassey was not the person the contractor thought he was. However, he has been arrested and will be prosecuted.”
Why is the contractor's identity being hidden Rachel? This was emotional business that transpired between a female staff of the cross river liaison office Lagos and her friend. If it went wrong certainly there would be a civil way of settlement? Or appealing to the Pastor's pastor , family etc. Than the damaging PR campaign, she may get her money, but trying to evade her name being put on national news for taking a brother to the police is certainly something she didn't bargain for nor seems to me her value system. I'll definitely get in touch with Pastor Praise to reconcile with his friend and sort his out peacefully. There's more than meets the eye to Stories we read.