An Abuja Chief Magistrate Court sitting at Zuba, on Thursday, held that a presiding pastor of the House On The Rock Church, Uche Aigbe, who had on February 12, mounted the pulpit with an AK-47 rifle, has a case to answer.

The embattled cleric was said to have used the firearm which he got from an Inspector of Police, Musa Audu, who was on guard at the church, for an illustration while preaching a sermon about faith.

The prosecution alleged that he made inciting and intimidating statements to his congregation, capable of raising unnecessary alarm or causing a breach of public peace.

Specifically, police alleged that Pastor Aigbe, by his action, committed an offence punishable under section III of the Firearms Act CAP F28, LFN 2004, and contravened Section 97, 114, and 397 of the Penal Code.

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Aside from the pastor, equally charged to court by the police over the incident were two others- Promise Ukachukwu and Olakunle Ogunleye, who are all clerics of the church located within the Wuye District of Abuja.

Meanwhile, all the defendants pleaded not guilty to the First Information Report, FIR, the police entered against them which bordered on criminal conspiracy, illegal possession of prohibited firearms, inciting disturbance and criminal intimidation.

Pastor Aigbe and his co- defendants subsequently filed a no-case-submission, praying the court to quash the charge against them for want of incriminating evidence capable of warranting their trial and conviction.

They argued that there was no prima-facie evidence linking them to any criminal offence.

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However, in a brief ruling on Thursday, Magistrate Abdulazeez Muhammad, held that from the totality of the evidence so far adduced, the defendants have been effectively linked with the charges preferred against him by police.

The court proceeded to okay the prosecution of the trio on a three-count charge.

According to the court: “In the light of the foregoing and having found that prima facie case has been succinctly established against all the 3 defendants, we proceed in the interest of justice, to frame the appropriate 3-count charge against the defendants as follows.

“I, Abdulazeez Ismail Muhammad, Magistrate Grade II, sitting at Zuba/Gwagwalada Magisterial Disrict, hereby charge you, Pastor Uche Aigbe, Pastor Promise Ukachukwu and Pastor Olakunle Ogunleye, as follows;

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“1st count: That you, Pastor Uche Aigbe, male, of No.21 Mambila Plateau Galadimawa and Pastor Okachukwu Promise, male, of Mba Pada House off Galadimawa Roundabout, on the 12th day of February,2023 at the House on the Rock Church, situate at Oladipo Diya Street Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, had in your possession one{1} AK47 rifle{with breach No.3368} without a licence or formal authorization. You thereby committed the offence of unlawful possession of prohibited firearms, contrary to s 3 of the FIREARMS ACT CAP F 28 LAWS OF THE FEDERATION 2004 and punishable under section 27{1b} of the same ACT

“2nd count: That you, Pastor Uche Aigbe, male, of No. 21 Mambila Plateau Galadimawa, Abuja, on the 12th day of February ,2023 at the House on the Rock Church, situate at Oladipo Diya Street, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did make some inflammatory statements with intent to cause or likely to cause breach of peace to wit: you are calling people to take-up arms in order to propagate and defend their faith. Thereby committed the offence of inciting disturbance, contrary to s 114 PENAL CODE ACT and punishable under the same section.

“3rd count: That you, Pastor Olakunle Ogunleye, male, of plot 735, Behind Games Village Kaura, Abuja, on the 12th day of February, 2023 at the House on the Rock Church, situate at Oladipo Diya Street, Abuja, abetted the unlawful possession of prohibited firearms by Pastor Uche Aigbe and Pastor Okachukwu Promise to wit; with a view to facilitate illegal possession of prohibited firearms you procured Inspector Musa Abdu, who was standing on his duty post to surrender his rifle to the said pastors. Thereby committed the offence of abetment contrary to the provision of s 83 of the Penal Code Act and punishable under s 85 of the same Act.”

VANGUARD