The Magistrate Court in Jalingo on Wednesday docked Samuel Ande, the Pastor of Court of Christ Deliverance Ministry for criminal conspiracy and trespass on property belonging to Bright Danfulani Suntai, niece to the former Taraba state governor late Danbaba Suntai.
The accused and two others were alleged to have conspired to sell a property belonging to Suntai under the pretext that the said property was bequeathed to his Church by the father of the defendant, the late Babangida Suntai.
Counsel to the complainants, C. C. Ichele told our correspondent that the accused had earlier put the property on sale after the death of the owner of the property and father of his client, claiming that the late Suntai had given him the property located in Jalingo.
Ichele argued that no member of the Suntai family was aware of the said transaction and the family was still in custody of the documents related to the property while the accused could not present any proof that the said property was bequeathed to him.
Ichele lamented that “the attempt by the accused to forcefully take over and dispose of a property belonging to one of his Church members who is now late is highly unbecoming of a religious leader”, and urged him to “rethink his actions as they speak volumes about his person and the ministry he represents.”
Mathew Kentishe, counsel to Ande, told our correspondent that his client had received the property in question from the late Babangida Suntai and it was unfortunate that he is now standing trial for criminal conspiracy in a gift he received in good faith from one of his Church members.
The presiding judge Mulumba Barnabas of Area Court 2 Jalingo adjourned the case to 30th of August after listening to the case by the defence.
