Pastor, 6 others arraigned for lockdown violation in Delta

The pastor of Fresh Power Deliverance Miracle Ministry, Pastor Julius Richard, and six of his members arrested on Sunday in Ovwian Community, Udu Local Government Area of Delta state for violating the lockdown order have been arraigned before the mobile court.

The mobile court sitting at the Otu-Jeremi Police Station in Ughelli South Local Government Area, however, granted the accused persons bail in the sum of N70,000.

They were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ena Ojugo, who frowned at the alleged action of the accused persons in violating the restriction order over the COVID19 pandemic.

Those tried at the mobile court include four men and three women, alleged to have organized Sunday service at Ovwian in Udu Local Government Council with members in attendance numbering over 80.

Addressing the court, Pastor Richard revealed that God told him to organise 3- days fasting and prayers with 12 persons representing the 12 tribes of Judah, so as to prayerfully contend with the coronavirus pandemic ravaging the world.

The presiding magistrate who ordered the pastor to read from the Book of Romans 13:1-6 which says “every soul must be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power, but of God.

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“The powers that be are ordained of Godz” said that the pastor and his members violated the Criminal Code, Section 203, despite the alleged message from God.

They were later granted bail with the option of community service within Ovwian Community and its environs to sensitize other pastors to close down their churches until the expiration of the lockdown order by the state government.

The community service which is to be supervised by the Head of Department of Environment for Udu Local Government, Friday Arubi will run from Tuesday to Thursday this week from 9am daily.