Police Detain 16 Church Workers Over Missing N3.5m Offering

A total of 16 workers at a popular Catholic Church in Asaba, Delta State, are currently being interrogated by Police detectives in the state over an alleged missing of N3.5million offering.

Sources say the offering was collected during Four Sunday services and put in the custody of account clerks who were instructed by the priest to pay it to the church account.

More often than not, the offering is paid into the church account on work days, but this was not done following requests for financial assistance by some church members to the priest, who allegedly instructed the account clerks to advance certain amount of money to them and pay the balance into the account.

It was learnt that the clerks seized the opportunity to conspire with some fraudulent members’ after which they agreed to delay the fund till Tuesday morning before going to the bank where the bubble burst.

However, some sources revealed that prior to the incident; there had been reported cases of stealing in the Catholic Church, with a litany of complaints by some of the credible workers. These credible workers, it was gathered, had complained of conspiracy by some wardens who had reportedly been treated with kid gloves.

A police source who craved anonymity, disclosed that some of the workers being interrogated have confessed to the crime and will be charged to court soon.

Police spokesman, ASP Famous Ajieh, confirmed that detectives were investigating the case with the aim of bringing the suspects to book.

Similarly, last Sunday at the Saint Patrick Catholic Church, Asaba, parishioners were shocked when two teenagers allegedly stole bags belonging to some female worshippers. The bags were said to have contained handsets, money and other valuables.

-- The Herald