7th May, 2015
Cyriacus Izuekwe
Prophet Destiny Onwudinjo of Heaven Divine Ministry, Shasha, a suburb of Lagos in western Nigeria, has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment without an option of fine for absconding from court to evade trial.
Presiding Magistrate P.E. Nwaka of Ejigbo Court handed the sentence to Onwudinjo after he pleaded guilty to attempt to escape after he was brought to court for trial.
Prophet Onwudinjo caused a stir at the court recently when he suddenly jumped from the dock and ran out of the court where he was facing criminal charge of fraud and assault.
The prosecutor, Mr Femi Adeleye, and some of the court officials ran after him and re-arrested him along the street of Lagos.
His action disrupted the court’s proceedings as the litigants rushed out of the court due to the rowdiness that ensued.
Prophet Onwudinjo was facing trial in the court after he was arrested by the police at Shasha Division for brutalizing a commercial motorcycle rider called Chika Izuogu for refusing to pay him N120,000 for deliverance prayer.
The incident happened at Olukosi Street, Shasha, Lagos where both of them reside.
According to Izuogu, Onwudinjo told him that he had a revelation from God that he needed to embark on seven days deliverance prayer so that his condition would improve for the better.
He said the Enugu State-born Onwudinjo explained to him that the money he asked him to pay covered the fasting and other spiritual materials he would use for the deliverance.
To convince Izuogu that the prayer will work after seven days, he told him that he will receive a divine blessing from God as an unknown person will give him N3 million he would use to start a new life and become rich.
Abia State-born Izuogu who seemed to be convinced told Onwudinjo that he would do the fasting by himself because he had no such amount to give him.
This caused a disagreement between them and in the process, Onwudinjo allegedly beat up Izuogu and injured him in the process.
Izuogu said he held him and raised an alarm which attracted neighbours who contacted the police that arrested the prophet.
After investigation, Onwudinjo was charged to court with assault and attempt to obtain money under false pretence.
It was while in court that he bolted and was re-arrested.
When he was re-arraigned, the presiding Magistrate, Mr Peter. E. Nwaka ordered him to be remanded in prison custody at Kirikiri.
The court also directed the prosecutor to prepare another contempt charge against him for escaping from the court.
When the prosecutor arraigned him, he pleaded guilty of trying to escape from court and assaulting Izuogu before the court.
He was subsequently sentenced accordingly.