Pastor Temitope Balogun Joshua, founder of Synagogue Church of All Nations, yesterday escaped death inside his church.The clergyman was said to be preaching to a multitude of congregation both within and outside when a young man rushed out among the crowd with a dagger in his hand and charged towards the preacher.It took the intervention of the some church workers to rescue the man of God.
Though the intention of the man is not known yet, it was learnt that he came prepared. He was also able to beat the heavy security details within the church to hatch the plan.
Immediately he was apprehended, he was quickly handed over to the men of the mobile police within the church premises.
There was panic at the Ikotun, Lagos-based Synagogue Church of All Nations last Sunday when a man with a knife forced himself through the crowd of worshippers and attempted to stab the controversial pastor, Prophet T.B. Joshua, on the pulpit while he was preaching.
The 43-year old intruder, identified as Louise Mberi,, armed himself with a knife and attempted to stab the prophet during a church service but was stopped by ushers and other security personnel before he could reach T.B. Joshua.
Louise allegedly hid the knife in his waist and was heading for the altar where T.B. Joshua was preaching when vigilant ushers suspected his moves and stopped him.
When he was searched by the security men, a sharp knife was found on him and was promptly handed over to policemen.
The discovery cause panic in the church as security was beefed up around the prophet who continued his sermon despite the development.
When he was interrogated by policemen at the Ikotun station, Louise claimed that he was going to the altar to seek prayers from T.B. Joshua for his poor health. He could not, however, explain why he armed himself with a knife.
The police later charged him before the Ejigbo Magistrate’s Court, Ikotun, for an attempt to stab and distrupt service at the Synagogue Church of All Nations.
The charge sheet reads: “That you, the defendant on the same date, time and place did attempt to stab by concealing a knife in your waist in order to cause havoc, panic and disturb peace during the church service at the Synagogue Church of All Nations,” an offence contrary to Sections 508 and 80 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 17, Vol.2, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge and the magistrate, Mrs. M. B. Folami, granted him bail in the sum of N25,000 with two sureties.
The court ordered that the sureties must be a blood relation of the accused.
The magistrate also ordered that the defendant must be taken to a psychiatric hospital for mental evaluation.
The matter has been adjourned till 20 December, 2010.
The defendant was later remanded in prison custody at Apapa, Lagos, pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions.
A member of the Synagogue Church of All Nations who spoke on the incident expressed shock at the incident and wondered why anyone would want to harm the prophet he described as a philantropist.
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