There was jubilation in Celestial Church of Christ, Genesis Global in the early hours of Sunday when the Senior Shepherd, Prophet Israel Ogundipe, who was granted post-conviction bail, returned to the church for service.
Members welcomed him with songs of joy and jubilation as he entered the church premises months after being convicted of fraud.
In a video posted on Instagram by the church, the convicted pastor was seen leading praise and worship.
The new development follows a post-conviction bail a three-man panel at Court of Appeal in Lagos state granted Ogundipe on the ground of health conditions in April.
It would be recalled that Justice Olabisi Akinlade on November 18 sentenced the popular prophet to one-year imprisonment for converting a woman’s property to his personal use and stealing.
Read Also: CCC Genesis Global Prophet, Israel Oladele Ogundipe Sentenced To Jail For Fraud
The court found Ogundipe guilty of stealing and unlawful conversion of the property of a London-based architect, Mrs. Oladele Williams-Oni.
Ogundipe, who was arraigned on seven counts bordering on obtaining by stealing, inducing delivery of money by false pretences, unlawful conversion of property and forgery, fraudulently collected N14m and £12,000 in various tranches from the complainant between August 30, 2002 and 2005.
Justice Akinlade, who found Ogundipe guilty on two counts count of stealing and unlawful conversion of property not delivered, also ordered that he should pay the complainant the sum of N11m, which he obtained from her illegally.
However, Ogundipe dissatisfied with the judgement, approached the appeal court through his counsel, Babatunde Ogala (SAN) asking for bail pending the hearing of the appeal and an application to quash the conviction.
Ogala argued the televangelist was diabetic, could no longer follow a strict diet and the constant specialised medical attention in custody, which had taken a toll on his health made him “gaunt in appearance.”
However, the Judge held that the convict did not prove any special circumstances that could persuade the court to grant his application, adding that the Court of Appeal Practice Direction, 2013 provided for a quick hearing of criminal matters.
Justice Akinlade dismissed the application which was brought pursuant to Section 6(6) of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended paving way for the convict to continue serving his sentence at Kirikiri Correctional Centre, Apapa in Lagos State.
Later on, Justice Abudullhai Bayero while granting the post-conviction bail said;
There are criteria for granting a convict bail. These include that the applicant must be a first-time offender or have a serious health condition.
The applicant seeking bail pending appeal before the court is a first-time offender and he has also shown to the court that he is having hypertension, peptic ulcer, unending malaria, and diabetes, which are serious health conditions.
See some videos of Ogundipe’s church members welcoming him below;
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View this post on Instagram
