23 Members Of Millenium Gospel Church, Oshogbo On Trial For Worshiping Corpse of Their Late Pastor

An Osogbo Senior Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday ordered that 23 persons, charged with worshipping a corpse and insulting Christianity be remanded in prison custody. 

Among the accused persons are John Oladele, 71, Gabriel Oladele, 61, Florence Oladele, 65, and Theophilus Akinlolu, 57. Others are Janet Oluwaloni, 40, Felix Oladele, 33, Oluwagbemiga Oluwadare, 18 and Olugbenga Gbenjo, 50.

The Police Prosecutor, Elisha Olusegun, told the court that the 23 suspects, on January 11, at Oremeji Street, Alekuwodo area in Osogbo, conspired to commit the offence.


Olusegun said that the suspects committed misdemeanor to wit: insult to Christianity religion by referring to their late founder, Joseph Oladele, as Jesus Christ.

He also alleged that the suspects urinated on a N20 note in public, using drums to call people in the area to buy pap “which is an unusual manner for hawking pap”.

He said the offences were contrary to and punishable under Section 516, 204 and 249 (1) of the Criminal Code Cap 34, vol. 11, Law of Osun, 2003.

The accused persons, however, pleaded not guilty.

The Senior Magistrate, Olusola Aluko, directed the counsel to the accused persons, to file a formal bail application and adjourned the case to February 29. He also ordered that the accused persons be remanded in prison custody till the adjournment date.

The suspects were arrested on January 11, at their place of worship called Millennium Gospel Church at Alekuwodo in Osogbo.
 

Their arrest was as a result of complaint from the residents of the area, who alleged that the worshippers were engaged in fetish activities. It was gathered that irate residents of the area set the church ablaze on January 12, after the arrest of the worshippers.

It was learnt that police made similar arrest in 2011 at the church headquarters in Ido Osun, a village near Osogbo, where the corpse of the founder, late Joseph Oladele was placed on a bed and worshipped.

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