The 52-year old founder of Great Army of God
Church, Pastor Mrs. Charity Okpara, has been
arrested by the Gender Section of the Police
Command in Lagos for selling a 7-month old baby
belonging to one of her members, Mrs. Blessing
Harrison.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened
at Abiodun Kayode Street, Shibiri area of Lagos,
where the Church is located.
The little baby was sold to a child merchant, one
Mrs. Happiness Ejikeme, 48, in Lagos, who in turn
sold it to a 40-year old woman, Mrs. Mercy
Nwokike, in Mbaukwu town, Anambra State.
The whole thing got exposed after the matter was
reported to the Baale in the area, Chief Abadaih
Adele, who then reported the matter to the Gender
Section of the Police Command. The operatives
moved into action and recovered the baby from
Anambra State.
According to the mother of the baby, Mrs.
Blessing, she had attended the Church before she
got married and became pregnant. She said after
she was delivered of the baby, Pastor Charity
asked her to get prepared for them to go to
mountain for prayer. She was instructed not to tell
her husband and after the prayer that she will
raise money for her to go back to her village in
Akwa Ibom State to start a business.
Mrs. Blessing said that while she got prepared for
the prayer, the Pastor collected her baby from her
and handed over to a woman, who later turned
out to be a child merchant, one Mrs. Happiness
Ejikeme and she escaped.
She said when she did not see her baby, she
raised alarm as the Pastor was forcing her to go
back to her village. She then informed her
husband, who contacted the Baale of the
community.
Pastor Charity Okpara and the other accomplices
namely Mrs. Happiness Ejikeme and Mercy
Nwokike, were rounded up and paraded by the
Police where they made confessional statements.
During interrogation, Pastor Charity admitted that
she sold the baby for N350,000 to Mrs.
Happiness and collected a commission of
N25,000. She said that the mother of the baby,
Mrs. Blessing was aware of the transaction but
later changed her mind because she did not get
all her money as promised her.
When she was asked why she did not give her the
money when she was being taken to her village,
Pastor Charity said that she kept the money in her
account.
Mrs. Happiness Ejikeme also admitted that she
bought the baby from Pastor Charity and paid her
in full before they handed the baby to her and she
in turn sold it to one Mrs. Mercy for N800,000.
She said she did not tell the buyer that it was a
stolen child.
This was confirmed by the Police Public Relations
Officer, DSP Bala Elkana at the State Command.
He said they were caught, interrogated and they
confessed committing the crime and would be
charged to Court after the conclusion of
investigation. He said that the baby has been
handed over to her parents.
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