Face of the Pastor Who Kidnapped a 2-Year-Old Baby for 10 Million Naira Ransom!

Pastor Emmanuel Chigozie Okpara Believer’s Prayer Ministry on Umudagu Road, Orjiin Owerri, Imo State was arraigned with one Evelyn Jonathan, 27 yesterday and remanded in custody before a magistrate court sitting in Oke Eda, Akure for kidnapping a 2-year-old baby, Bolanle Olowokere, the daughter of Engineer Bayo and Mrs. Blessing Olowookere in March of this year and asking the parents to pay a ransom of 10 million naira... his others accomplices remain at large. At the time of the abduction, the group stole the mother’s cell phone, worth Naira 15,000 and cash of Naira 200,000. Chief Magistrate Johnson Adelegan, presiding in court, did not accept the plea of the accused or ask for their counsel, but ordered the accused persons be remanded in prison custody so the court could obtain legal advice from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution over the case. The case is adjourned until Tuesday, April 29, 2014.
But Pastor Chigozie claims he had nothing to do with the abduction and the kidnappers had approached him for prayers. According to him, " I never knew they wanted to kidnap the child because when we arrived in Akure I was inside the vehicle when they brought the baby and one of them brought out a gun and said this was a case of kidnapping and anybody who misbehaves would be shot and that was how it all started". But in a swift reaction, The Prosecutor handling the case, ASP Zakari Ibrahim, told the court that the accused were armed with guns and other dangerous weapons while carrying out the kidnapping. He countered the Pastor’s claim of innocence when the told the court  that during the police investigation they discovered it was the Pastor who took the kidnapped baby to Evelyn Jonathan in Bayelsa State before calling the mother of the child and demanding 10 million Naira ransom. The offense is punishable under the Anti-Kidnapping and Anti-Abduction Law of Ondo State, 2010 and Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act Cap R11 Laws Federation of Nigeria, 2004.