Police in Ondo Parades Ex-Convict For Blackmailing Pastors

A 44-year-old ex-convict, Mr. Festus Balogun, popularly known as smart, who's stock in trade is to black mail notable men of God was yesterday paraded by men of Ondo State Police command. Balogun who is from Cotonou was accused of releasing Compact Disk titled''Asiri tu'' which means ''secret expose''.

He usually use the disk to record lies about pastors saying that they send him on errands to kill people in order to acquire spiritual powers. He mentioned pastors like: Pastors Samson Oluwamodede of prayer Centre Church of God, Idanre road in Akure, Samuel Kayode Abiara of the General Evangelist of Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide and 10 others.

Balogun who admitted that he was guity said he began the act of blackmailing men of God since he came out of prison in 2001/2002 because he had no one to guide him in the right path.

He called on the men of God to show him mercy. He disclosed that he gets the details of these men of God by attending their revival or crusade programmes.

“After all these, I will produce a CD and give it to a marketer to sell for me but the marketer who promised to give me N300,000 refused to give me any money. The name of one of the marketers is Ola.

“I want to appeal to those men of God; it is devil's work because I am only looking for things to cater for my feeding. I left Ikoyi maximum Prison 2001/2002 after being arrested with my gang for armed robbery and cultism. I spent four years in prison.

“After I left the prison, sometimes, I will do a conductor and bricklayer job just for my feeding but when I didn't see anyone to guide me on what to do, I started producing this CD to blackmail men of God.

“I don't know them, and they don't know me. I am a preacher but I don't have church. I used to attend their churches, where some men of God will invite me and at that programme I would blackmail these pastors that they normally send me to kill”.

Confirming the story,the State Police Commissioner, Mike Ogbodu said the CD was sold within and outside the country.