A Chief Magistrate Court in Abuja has ruled that Presiding Pastor of the House on the Rock Church, Uche Aigbe, has a criminal case to answer in the unlawful possession of prohibited firearms found in his possession.
UNITY TIMES reports that the court dismissed Aigbe’s no-case submission, ruling that the objection to trial lacked merit and substance.
Grow your business with us
The prosecution had alleged that Aigbe, Promise Ukachukwu and Olakunle Ogunleye conspired to illegally and unlawfully possess an AK-47 rifle on February 12, 2023.
The prosecution also alleged that the defendants got the firearm from Inspector Musa Audu, attached to Wuye Division, posted on guard duty at the said Church.
The prosecution further alleged that the defendants used the firearm to illustrate while preaching a sermon about faith in the Church, and that they made inciting and intimidating statements to the church congregation that could cause alarm and breach of peace.
The court ruled that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence to warrant Aigbe standing trial.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) police command had in February arrested Mr Aigbe, after a video clip of him carrying a gun during a Sunday church service went viral on social media platforms.
The images of the pastor showing him welding an AK-47 rifle on the church pulpit caused a stir with many commentators expressing safety concerns about the pastor’s action.
The police subsequently charged the pastor alongside Promise Ukachukwu and Olakunle Ogunleye with criminal conspiracy, illegal possession of prohibited firearms, inciting disturbance and criminal intimidation which they pleaded not guilty to.
The prosecution counsel, James Idachaba, said the defendants got the firearm from Musa Audu, a police inspector, attached to Wuye Division and posted on guard duty at the church.
He added that the defendants used the firearm for an illustration while preaching a sermon about faith in the church.
The prosecution counsel said the defendants made inciting and intimidating statements to the church congregation that could cause alarm and breach of peace.
The offence, he said, is punishable under Section III of the Firearms Act CAP F28, LFN 2004 and contravened Section 97, 114 and 397 of the Penal Code.