A 45-year-old man who claims to be an ordained pastor,
Tope Kolawale, has been nabbed by the Lagos State Police Command for
breaking into several churches in the Iyana Ipaja area of the state and robbing them of musical instruments, tithe boxes containing money, offerings and other items.
According
to the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Kenneth Nwosu,
Kolawole was arrested on March 31st, 2015, after he broke into yet
another church.
Before his arrest, Pastor Kolawale
had successfully robbed more than eight churches and stole items
including music instruments, wall clocks, offering and tithes.
His
nemesis came when he attacked another church in the area where he stole
two amplifiers, two music mixers, one keyboard, one stabiliser, two DVD
players and one Samsung plasma 32 inches television and was about to
run away with the stolen item when he was nabbed.
The suspect confessed to his crimes thus:
"I
specialise in stealing from churches. I steal music instruments. I have
a receiver and buyer known as Alausa. Without him, I would not have
gone to churches to steal.
When he heard
that I have been arrested, he went into hiding. I steal in the churches
I worship to avoid suspicion. I have been succeeding except this one.
I
was remanded in Kirikiri prison by Task Force from Alausa for hawking
on the highway. I am a qualified pastor because I went to theological
school and was ordained a pastor in 2008 at Ile-Ife by Christ Apostolic
Church (CAC) but I worship at Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) at
any of their parishes.
It is the devil
that caused my frustration that made me to steal in the house of God. My
wife, Bunmi, is a nurse with children. I live in Sango and go to Lagos
to operate because Ogun is good for hiding after operation.
It
was what the Task Force did to me that made me to become a thief
because they made me lose everything I had got in 10 years. I used to
gather items at about 10:30 pm and by 5am, I go to nearby road to look
for taxi to take me to Oshodi.
Where the
taxi driver is in doubt, I call Alausa who claims to be the General
Overseer of a particular church I once stole from. He is the one that
pays the taxi driver once I deliver the goods.
I
am now a born again; if I am released, I will open a church and appoint
those suspects elders of my church. We will not rob again but work for
God."