Prophet kidnaps, kills church member

A Prophet with Christ Army Ministry in Ulakpo, Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State, Michael Mbonu, has been arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad for allegedly kidnapping and killing a member of his church member, Princewill Ezeji.
Ezeji, a graduate, was said to have gone to Mbonu for prayers shortly after buying a Toyota Camry car.
That was the last his family saw and heard of him until his corpse was exhumed after the prophet took the police to where Ezeji was buried.
A friend of the Ezeji family, Kingsley Udemba, 24, who knew the graduate had gone missing, was said to have capitalised on the situation to fleece the family of N960,000 as ransom, claiming to have abducted him.
The Commissioner, Imo State Police Command, Rabiu Ladodo, who paraded the suspects before newsmen in Owerri, said the prophet had initially kidnapped the victim before getting rid of him.
Ladodo disclosed that once men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad from the Command got wind of the disappearance of the victim through his brother, Emeka Ezeji, who reported the matter, they immediately swung into action and arrested the prophet.
Upon his arrest, the police boss said, the suspect took the police to where he murdered the victim, adding that some personal effects such as phone, car and SIM card, which the victim took to the prophet’s residence, were recovered.
Also recovered were charms.
Ladodo said SARS officers, led by the Commander, Godfrey Victor, swung into action on receiving a complaint of a missing person.
He added: “Five persons were subsequently arrested.
“They are Mbonu Michael, 27, a prophet; Kingsley Udemba, 24; Nwogu Anslem, 59; Blessing Michael, 25; and Chidinma Godwin, 27.
“It is important to note that on August 3, the deceased, Princewill Ezeji, a graduate of Philosophy, bought a Lexus vehicle and went to see his prophet, Michael Mbonu.
“From that date, the victim was nowhere to be seen.
“While that was going on, one Kingsley Udemba, a close friend, showed up and claimed that the victim went missing because he defrauded him.
“The parents of the missing person had to raise N960,000 and paid Udemba, yet the boy was not released.
“Upon investigation and through digital analysis, though Kingsley collected the ransom as agreed, he had no knowledge about the victim’s whereabouts.
“The prophet who was following the parents to look for Princewill was indicted.
“On interrogation, he confessed to the crime.
“He took operatives to see the decomposed corpse of the victim.
“The victim’s car, telephone and sim card were recovered.
“Charms and Bible were also recovered.”