Pastor Sentenced After Defrauding Church Members of N136 Million in Fake Investment Scheme

A Nigerian pastor, Godwin Sunday Ajuluchukwucheya, popularly known as Prophet Sunday Koboko, has been sentenced by the Enugu State High Court after he was convicted of defrauding church members of N136.4 million.

The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecuted him on two charges involving obtaining money through false pretence and stealing.

The EFCC accused Ajuluchukwucheya of collecting money from unsuspecting members of his church between 2023 and February 2025 by falsely claiming that he had won N30 billion from the Baba Ijebu lottery and that investors in his scheme would receive returns based on their contributions.

Count one of the charges read:

“Godwin Sunday Ajuluchukwucheya, sometimes between 2023 to February 2025 in Enugu, Enugu State within the jurisdiction of the Enugu State High Court with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N136, 436, 000. 00 (One Hundred and Thirty-six Million, Four Hundred and Thirty-six Thousand Naira) from unsuspecting members of your church under the false pretence that you have won N30, 000, 000, 000. 00 (Thirty Billion Naira) in Baba Ijebu lotto game and that investors in your investment scheme will receive dividends according to their investments, which pretence you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence”.

The offence falls under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.

Ajuluchukwucheya pleaded guilty when the charges were read to him. Following his plea, EFCC prosecutor Assistant Commander Rotimi Ajobiewe asked the court to convict and sentence him.

Justice H. O. Eya sentenced him to one year in prison with an option of a N500,000 fine.

The court also ordered the forfeiture of his landed property to the Federal Government through the EFCC. The property will be sold and the money used to compensate victims of the fraud.

According to the EFCC, the case started after a woman identified as Mrs Ngene Nkiruka Jane reported that the pastor claimed he had spiritual powers to bring her late husband back to life.

She alleged that she paid N6.7 million for spiritual services and a fake investment scheme promoted by the pastor.

Another victim, Okey Uwakwe, told investigators that Ajuluchukwucheya claimed he could control his brother, who had travelled abroad since 1997, and convinced him to pay N6.2 million for spiritual work.

During investigations, several other members of the pastor’s ministry also came forward with complaints that they had been deceived.

The EFCC said the pastor’s method involved convincing church members to buy items he described as spiritual products, including “miracle sticker”, “spiritual dragon”, “holyghost thunder” and others, in exchange for prosperity.