Home NEWS CRIME One-Chance Pastor Arrested In Port Harcourt Over N1.8 Billion Contract Scam

One-Chance Pastor Arrested In Port Harcourt Over N1.8 Billion Contract Scam

A man described as fake pastor, James Ezekiel, has been arrested by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in the Port Harcourt’s Zonal Office for  defrauding an unsuspecting victim the sum of N1, 330, 000.00.

Ezekiel, who is a purported to be a “Presiding Pastor of One Touch Power Ministry,” Agudama, Epie,  Bayelsa State, allegedly claimed to have won a contract for the roofing of a church cathedral belonging to the Salvation Ministries in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

He reportedly put the contract sum as N1,8,000,000,000.00 and showed a contract award letter to his victim and asked him to collaborate with him as one of the “financiers” of the contract, promising the victim mouth- watering interests on his investment.

Troubles started when the victim demanded a repayment of his money from Ezekiel with the interests.

A statement by Head of media and publicity of EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren today, Thursday, said that investigations showed that Ezekiel delayed making payments to his victim by deceiving him that he had been paid the sum of N800,000,000.00 as mobilization fees for the contract but could not access the funds because his company’s account had been frozen by the EFCC.

The spokesman said that Ezekile contrived a fake EFCC’s e-mail message notifying him of the freezing of the account, where upon, the victim sensed foul play and alerted the EFCC.

He said that further investigations showed that the Salvation Ministries  did not award any contract to Ezekiel and no transfer of N800,000,000.00 was made into his company’s account.  Uwujaren said that the e-mail address which Ezekiel ascribed to the EFCC does not belong to the Commission.

The suspect allegedly initiated the scam  to fraudulently obtain money from the petitioner and other unsuspecting  members  of the public.

The statement said that the suspect is already cooling his feet in the custody of the EFCC  and would be charged to court soon.