Metro
Please Help Me Locate a Bail Jumper, Pastor Eronini – Lagos Lawyer Cries Out
By Eric Elezuo
A Nigerian lawyer, Barrister Frank Amadi has cried out, appealing to the general public to help in locating, and disclosing the whereabouts of one Pastor Emmanuel Eronini of the Resurrection Praise Church International aka Jehovah Sharp Sharp, who he said he stood surety for, but disappeared before the due date for appearance at the Police station. And has not been seen ever since.
Pastor Eronini, according to Amadi, has no known business location other than his self acclaimed pastor duties with his church.
Speaking to PointBlank.ng in his Osolo Way, Ajao Estate office in Lagos, Mr Amadi lamented his inability to locate someone he felt was a client, stressing how he had been molested by security operatives including spending four nights in the cell for not producing the bail jumper.
“It is not what I can confidently call an issue. He was a client. Pastor Emmanuel Eronini has an issue with his immediate elder brother over a piece of property on Ajao Estate, they jointly owned, according to his own account, and hoped to use as a point to distribute air-conditioners from abroad. Along the line, he said they fell apart, and their matter became so acrimonious. At a time, the house became seriously dilapidated. Pastor Eronini took it up for renovation, and as a client, I helped where I could, especially with known artisans. At this time, his father also died, and he was distraught because he didn’t have money to follow up with the renovation or contribution for his father’s burial, and there came up the idea of letting out some flats to tenants. This he did, and was able to participate in his father’s burial at Awo Mbieri. I even attended in commiseration. He rented a part of the building to Mountain of Fire Church, and another part to a logistics firm.
Amadi narrated as follows:
“But in February 2021, he was taken to Abuja by the Police attached to IGP Monitoring Unit to make a statement. So as a client, I flew to Abuja with a lawyer, who acted for him when they bought the property, and I footed his bills.
“There, the events were weighed, and then they required a surety so he could go back. The matter was between me and the other lawyer, Osagie, who is distant to him. Then the leader of the team to Lagos, Bala Abdullahi, who knows me well, prevailed on me to help Eronini to sign his surety. They only asked for my identity card, and said Eronini had to return in two weeks to confront the matter. It was a simple thing. And that was how I got myself into suretyship believing that Emma will keep to faith.
“In Lagos, I reminded him that we will be going back to Abuja when the two weeks elapsed. He complained that he was sick, stooling blood. I advised him to call the Abuja team leader, one Daudu, and he said he has spoken to him. I called Daudu, and he said no problem. At a time, I found myself in Abuja on another business, I called them if it was appropriate I come. They said no, that I have to come with Eronini, the suspect.
“But on getting to Lagos, Eronini started dodging and evading me, saying that the complainant, Ben, his brother wanted to kill him. That he sent Police to kill him. He told me he was a prophet and knew better. Later, he said that his general overseer, one Mustapha of Jehovah Sharp Sharp church, has intervened and called everyone and that Police has no right to come. I told him that this was bailment. I told the Police the latest, and together, we started looking for him, even went to his house. But he has a lot of cameras to detect anyone that comes close.
“Six months after bailment, July 2021, I was arrested after all the efforts I made, using the security agencies. I spent a night in police cell in Lagos before I was flown to Abuja the next day where I was detained from Friday to Monday, and then arraigned at the Kuje Magistrate Court. I hired two lawyers for my defence and surety, and then I got bailed, and that was how I returned to Abuja.
“I have not seen him till now. But I chatted him through his lawyer, using stern words. Then he replied. I am just praying that anyone who knows his whereabouts, should help us apprehend him so he could face justice, and save me from the trauma that I am going through. I did not do anything wrong to stand for a client who was in trouble.”
On arresting the man or declaring him wanted by the Police, Amadi said he had presented every possible suggestion to the Police, but they said they can’t do that since they offence is small. He was charged for Trespass, and could not be declared wanted.
Amadi said the Police asked him to contact any police station whenever he sights the man, or raise alarm to attract attention. However, he added that one Akin, who took over from Daudu in Abuja, said he would send a troop from Abuja whenever the man is tracked, “and I don’t have any means to track him”, he said.
Eronini lives in Ajao Estate, and he is one of the pastors in ‘Jehovah Sharp Sharp church’ at Satellite Town, but he hides arounfd the Ijanikin axis, according to statement credited to Barrister Amadi.
But the Police could not arrest any of his relatives because the Administration of Criminal Acts prohibits arrest by proxy.
“But now, I am facing and going though the consequences of another person’s crime; I have been detained, arraigned and right now I am on bail’; something that has never happened in my life. The next arraignment was on August 30, 2021 before it was again adjourned till September 27, 2021. I don’t deserve the maltreatment I am going through. I am in a quagmire, and so I have declared him wanted in my own capacity as a citizen.
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