Lagos Pastor Faces Charges for Alleged N352k ‘Special Prayer’ Fraud

Self-proclaimed pastor David Eludi finds himself in legal trouble as he stands accused of collaborating with others to fraudulently obtain N352,000 from Florence Samuel. The promise made to Samuel was to utilize the funds for liberating her from family curses.

The 44-year-old pastor was presented before the Ojo Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Tuesday, facing charges of conspiracy, obtaining by false pretenses, and stealing. The alleged offenses occurred in November at the Jakande area of Ajangbadi in Ojo.

According to the prosecutor, Dr. Simon Uche, Eludi, along with accomplices who are currently at large, misled Florence Samuel with false representations. The promised family liberation, however, never materialized, and the funds were instead misappropriated for personal use by Pastor Eludi without the complainant’s consent.

The charges brought against Pastor Eludi fall under Sections 287, 314, and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. Despite the allegations, the pastor pleaded not guilty during the court proceedings.

In response, Magistrate L.K.J. Layeni granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N200,000, requiring two sureties in a similar amount. The case is scheduled to be mentioned again on January 12, 2024.