The Presiding Pastor of the House On The Rock Church, Uche Aigbe, has a criminal case to answer in connection with the illegal possession of firearms discovered in his hands, according to an Abuja Chief Magistrate Court decision.
Chief Magistrate Abubakar Ismail rejected the Pastor’s no-case motion on the grounds that it was without merit and substance.
Magistrate Ismail made a brief judgement on Thursday at Zuba, concluding that the defendant has been directly connected to the allegations made against him by the police based on the entirety of the evidence that has been presented to date.
Uche Aigbe, Promise Ukachukwu, and Olakunle Ogunleye had been charged by the police with criminal conspiracy, illegal possession of restricted guns, inciting disorder, and criminal intimidation; they pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The defendants, all members of House on the Rock Church in Wuye, Abuja, were accused by the police of plotting to unlawfully and illegally possess an AK-47 rifle on February 12, 2023.
Inspector Musa Audu, a member of the Wuye Division who was assigned to guard duty at the aforementioned Church, provided the defendants with the pistol, according to the prosecution’s attorney, Assistant Police Commissioner James Idachaba.
He stated that during their discourse on church faith, the defendants used the handgun as an example.
The defence attorney claimed that the defendants intimidated and incited the church congregation by saying things that might have raised suspicions and disturbed the peace.
He asserted that the offence violated Sections 97, 114, and 397 of the Penal Code and is punishable under Section III of the Firearms Act, CAP F28, LFN 2004.
