By Yemi SAMSON
A pastor in charge of a Celestial Church of Christ parish in Osun State, Morris Olagbaju Fadehan has been gruesomely murdered allegedly by one of his assistants, Lekan Ogundipe on the church’s altar.
Fadehan, the Olusho (pastor) in charge of CCC Grace of Comfort Parish, Omitototo, Ile Ife, was said to have been hacked down on Monday by the suspect as a result of a misunderstanding between the two.
The deceased was said to have reprimanded the suspect and collected the keys to the church from him last week Wednesday after the suspect allegedly assaulted a prophetess of the church.
On Monday, Ogundipe was said to have seized the opportunity of the pastor praying on the altar alone to attack him, puncturing his eyes and stabbing him severally on his head, neck and other parts of his body until he died.
To cover up his tracks, the suspect was said to have poured petrol from the church’s generator on the deceased body and set the body ablaze.
Thereafter, he ran to the church founder’s house, saying that the church was on fire and the pastor was in danger.
What gave him out, however, were the blood stains on his white sutana and wounds on the deceased body. But the church founder played along with the suspect until the police were called in and he was arrested.
A source disclosed that Lekan (the suspect) did not like the way he was reprimanded for assaulting the prophetess last week.
“So, on Monday, he decided to settle scores with the Olusho, and used the opportunity of the lonely area of the church to attack the pastor who was praying on the church altar. He first tried to cover the pastor’s face with a cloth, but the pastor resisted and a scuffle ensued.
“That was when the deceased got to know that his assailant was his “trusted” assistant. Then Lekan picked up a screwdriver, using it to stab the pastor in the eyes, neck and body, killing him in the process”, the source said.
The Public Relations Officer of the Osun State Police Command, Yemisi Opalola, confirmed the incident and said the command has commenced investigation into the matter.
The remains of the 65-year-old pastor have been deposited at the OAU Teaching Hospital mortuary in Ile Ife for autopsy.
