A worker in a church, Romanus Oparaugo, shocked the congregation of Christian Pentecostal Mission, CPM , at Ajao Estate, Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria, when he pretended he was praying during a vigil and went to the altar and stole church offering.

Oparaugo, who lives at 14, Wahab Street, Ajao Estate, confessed that he has been doing it since 2005 after he joined and became a worker in the church because he does not receive any allowance from the church as a worker.

The father of two kids was unlucky this time because he was caught, handed over to the police and charged before Isolo Magistrates’ Court, Lagos for stealing.

He was yesterday sentenced to 12 months imprisonment without an option of fine after he pleaded guilty.

The 35-year old Oparaugo, who hails from Mbaise in Imo state, pretended to be praying and went to the altar and stole N45, 000 in the offering box and hid it in the pocket.

He was, however, apprehended by security men who searched him and recovered the money before handing him over to the police at Ajao station where he confessed to stealing the money.

After he was charged to court, he stunned the presiding magistrate, Mrs. O. M. Ajayi, by confessing that it was not the first time he was stealing offering money.

Oparaugo now in prison custody at Kirikiri, Apapa, said he joined the church in 2005 and since then he has been stealing from the offering box as a means of livelihood.

He also revealed that some church workers also do it.

He pleaded guilty to the two-count charge and pleaded for leniency. The court found him guilty as charged and sentenced him accordingly.

The court ruled that the sentence will run concurrently.

While going to prison, he told P.M.NEWS that he took God’s money and not church’s own.

http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2012/02/28/church-worker-jailed-for-stealing-offering-since-2005/

Church money,government money,God money, people money. Who is the thief?

na wa ooo

chuks49:

A worker in a church, Romanus Oparaugo, shocked the congregation of Christian Pentecostal Mission, CPM , at Ajao Estate, Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria, when he pretended he was praying during a vigil and went to the altar and stole church offering.

Oparaugo, who lives at 14, Wahab Street, Ajao Estate, confessed that he has been doing it since 2005 after he joined and became a worker in the church because he does not receive any allowance from the church as a worker.

The father of two kids was unlucky this time because he was caught, handed over to the police and charged before Isolo Magistrates’ Court, Lagos for stealing.

He was yesterday sentenced to 12 months imprisonment without an option of fine after he pleaded guilty.

The 35-year old Oparaugo, who hails from Mbaise in Imo state, pretended to be praying and went to the altar and stole N45, 000 in the offering box and hid it in the pocket.

He was, however, apprehended by security men who searched him and recovered the money before handing him over to the police at Ajao station where he confessed to stealing the money.

After he was charged to court, he stunned the presiding magistrate, Mrs. O. M. Ajayi, by confessing that it was not the first time he was stealing offering money.

Oparaugo now in prison custody at Kirikiri, Apapa, said he joined the church in 2005 and since then he has been stealing from the offering box as a means of livelihood.

He also revealed that some church workers also do it.

He pleaded guilty to the two-count charge and pleaded for leniency. The court found him guilty as charged and sentenced him accordingly.

The court ruled that the sentence will run concurrently.

While going to prison, he told P.M.NEWS that he took God’s money and not church’s own.

http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2012/02/28/church-worker-jailed-for-stealing-offering-since-2005/

, that he took God’s money and not church’s own..Imagine reasoning, psychopathy thief!.

. Badt guy,

Just imagine this country call NIGERIA, Problems everywhere.

fast trial and judgement,bankole and co r not enjoying dis type of trial,weldone naija judiciary

After all, others buy jets with God's Money too!

Typical ibo man exporting all the evil in iboland to yorubaland.90% of the armed robbery in South west of Nigeria are carried out by ibos.pathetic beings.

He stole God's money and not church's money. Lol. This man is lucky it wasn't in Pastor King's church. Dem for cut his head.

They should just free this man!! as in, i know it's BAD to steal but i just feel pity for him. He claims having worked for them since 2005 without earning a dime. Where did they think he was getting the money to feed, clothe and provide shelter for him and his family? The church authority is also to be blamed, POOR HIM!!

The church suppose free the guy for God to judge him

what would Jesus hav done

Jemibee:

They should just free this man!! as in, i know it's BAD to steal but i just feel pity for him. He claims having worked for them since 2005 without earning a dime. Where did they think he was getting the money to feed, clothe and provide shelter for him and his family? The church authority is also to be blamed, POOR HIM!!

Do you know what it meant to be a worker in church? it is optional. nobody called, employed or forced him. He could have opted out to get a living. Besides, its not a full time work. he stayed because of the act he was committing regularly.

Imagine N45k. He pays himself well.

But the church could have just expelled him. Forgiveness is Christianity

I'm sure on Sunday, the pastor of that Church will still preach the forgive and forget sermon again. What now happened to our popular forgive and forget in this man's case?

Didn't know that our judicial system has suddenly become efficient at speedily prosecuting cases

He stole directly while the pastors steal indirectly! What is offering money? Christians are just blindly feeding fat their pastors. The guy has seen the rot in his church and no doubt been hitting them since 2005.

isleman:

Do you know what it meant to be a worker in church? it is optional. nobody called, employed or forced him. He could have opted out to get a living. Besides, its not a full time work. he stayed because of the act he was committing regularly.

Imagine N45k. He pays himself well.

But the church could have just expelled him. Forgiveness is Christianity

Firstly, If the Pastor gets paid, why shouldnt the workers in there get paid as well?! I do not support this evil line of thought you have. Every one of them from the gateman, to the ushers, Choiristers, to the guy who walks around posting their crusade and retreat bills on peoples walls are are "WORKERS IN THE VINEYARD" and every worker deserves his wages. . . Its written in the bible, Matt 20: 1 - 16 _refer

Now. . . Where does forgiveness come in here?! And just so you know, saying that the church has forgiven him, yet they handed him over to the police is sheer hypocrisy, because now that he is in Jail, he is there because the church let it happen. Judge not so ye be not judged. . . Matt 7:1 _refer

Thirdly, He stole gods money and not church money. . . Afterall the church is the house of god, and when we give in church, we give to God. . . Psalm 29:1 _refer



The church just fell Jesus's hand now. . . How sad.

Ayatullah:

He stole directly while the pastors steal indirectly! What is offering money? Christians are just blindly feeding fat their pastors. The guy has seen the rot in his church and no doubt been hitting them since 2005.

You are correct but please don't say Christians. Rephrase your use of words and assertion. Some of use Christians are not fools and are not blind, we don't attend one-man owned church. Jesus never owned a church, He preached around from villages to towns on donkeys and boats.

What happened to forgive and forget, My brothers n sisters in d lord, what would christ have done!?.

K,k:

What happened to forgive and forget, My brothers n sisters in d lord, what would christ have done!?.

Stealing is sin man.He needed to be punished.

He also revealed that some church workers also do it.

While going to prison, he told P.M.NEWS that he took God’s money and not church’s own.

he took God's money not Church money. . . . . or maybe God sees him that he actually is in need of the money . . . . . thou shall not judge. . .  let us live him with his God.

Shouldn't the church have dealt with this sort of situation? Instead of handing him over to the police?. If the church was concerned about his salvation they would have counselled him and seen to it that he repents and be told 'go and sin no more', just as Jesus would have done but no, ones eternal destination is not what bothers the church in our time and age but the money that is made in the church. May God save and forgive us our sins ,amen.

The church should have dealt with this issue.

Christians are meant to be like christ,the pastor should have used that to sight example our christ operates,Godly things and laws are different from wordly ones,& as such the sinner is a part of the church & should be counselled so as to build his faith in christ rather than have him sent to the world to judge,I am very sure the pastor has just sent a soul he should win to the world by the time he is out of prison he might turn a hardened criminal,meanwhile the curch led him there,if they had taken him to continue & counselled him I'm sure the shame that they didn't send him away afterwards will build his xtian life & make him understand the ways of the lord more than he already did.its unfair taking church brethren matters to the law to judge.they all have their beliefs.why do we do white wedding & customary wedding?becos they are 2 diff sets of law & beliefs.let xtians remain xtians not modern day worshippers,