Pastor In Police Net For Allegedly Stealing From Churches In Lagos (pictured)

A pastor is in police net for allegedly stealing from churches in Lagos.

Pastor Tope Kolawole (45) was said to have broken into churches, carting away music instruments, wall clocks, offering and tithe.

One Alausa, who allegedly buys the stolen goods from him, is at large.

Lagos State Command’s spokesman Kenneth Nwosu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the pastor was arrested when he attempted to rob a church at Iyana Ipaja in Lagos on March 31 around 3:30am.

He allegedly packed the stolen one amplifier, two music mixers, one keyboard, one stabiliser, two DVD players and one Samsung plasma 32 inches television together and went to look for a taxi to convey them.

A Good Samaritan was said to have alerted the Police Commissioner, Kayode Aderanti, on noticing what was happening.

Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad led by their leader, Abba Kyari, a superintendent of Police (SP), was said to have arrested the pastor.

The pastor allegedly confessed that he once spent one month in Kirikiri prison for breaking into churches.

Kolawole said:

“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 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 10:30pm 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.”

Kolawole claimed to have repented, saying: “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.”