A 25-year-old man, Daniel Oguntade, who was arrested for diverting his company’s bus from Lagos State to Ogun State, has blamed his pastor for hypnotising him to commit the crime. Oguntade, who is the company driver, said he was asked to pick a client from the airport and drop some hampers and money with some other people on 24 December, 2015 before his pastor called him ordering him to report to the church for a programme. He said he was also ordered by the man of God to drop all the hampers in the church and join the congregation.
“I have been working for the company for three years without any soiled record. My salary is N60,000.
“I suspect I was hypnotized by my pastor (names withheld) because while I was on the Third Mainland Bridge at 11.30a.m., heading for the airport, I received two calls; one from my dad, informing that my mother was sick and the other from my Pastor, ordering me to report immediately at the church located at Adiyan, Ogun State.
“As if propelled by forces beyond me, I proceeded to the church in the company’s vehicle.
“On arrival, my pastor told me to drop the hampers in the church, even when I told him that my boss directed me to give them to some clients.
“He reminded me that that day was Imoke day, a special service day and asked me to join the service.
“A church member, Oyetade Ade, accompanied me to the fuel station to fill the tank. But to my surprise, the car refused to start while at the fuel station. Time was 7.30p.m.”
Meanwhile, the company had been worried when the driver was yet to return at 8pm and had ignored all calls to his mobile phone making them involve the police. He also said when he told the pastor about the calls from his employers, he told him to tell them the vehicle had been snatched by robbers. The vehicle was traced to Ifo in Sango where he was found with another man trying to disconnect the tracking device in the car.
“When I called my pastor to inform him about the development, he said I should tell my boss that the vehicle had been snatched by robbers, including the hampers and cash. I could not pick my calls when my boss called and when I eventually picked it, I could not talk.
“I never knew the vehicle had a tracking device. I thought it had an electrical fault that was why I called an electrician to repair it. To my surprise, RRS men swoop on us.”
The suspects have been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
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