The scheduled trial of Pastor Uche Aigbe of the House on the Rock Church, Abuja for illegal possession of firearms was stalled on Tuesday as his lawyer, Uche Uzukwu, wrote to the court that he was engaged with an election petition case.
Aigbe, alongside Promise Ukachukwu and Olakunle Ogunleye, was charged with illegal possession of firearm, inciting disturbance, criminal conspiracy and criminal intimidation.
They are being tried by the police before the Zuba Magistrates’ Court in Abuja.
The case stemmed from a Sunday church service in February when Aigbe mounted the pulpit with an AK-47 rifle to illustrate his sermon for the day titled, ‘‘Guarding your Faith’.
The incident generated widespread controversy after the video of the cleric bearing a firearm on the pulpit went viral on the Internet.
The House on the Rock and the pastor apologised, however, the police filed charges against Aigbe and two others.
In the charge, the prosecution counsel, James Idachaba, said the defendants, on February 12, 2023, got the firearm from Inspector Musa Audu, attached to House on the Rock Refuge Church, Wuye, Abuja on guard duty.
The prosecution counsel said the defendants made inciting and intimidating statements to the congregation that could cause alarm and a breach of peace.
The prosecution said the defendants acted contrary to the law and were liable to be punished under Section III of the Firearms Act CAP F28, LFN 2004 and Section 97, 114 and 397 of the Penal Code.
The defendants have, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that when the case was called on Tuesday, the magistrate, Abdulaziz Ismail, announced that the defence counsel had written to the court to seek an adjournment on the grounds that he was involved in an election petition case.
Consequently, the magistrate adjourned the matter till May 2.
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