Fake Priest Docked For Deceiving and Collecting Money Using Illegal Seminary

Anthony Marie Wendji of Bangassou, Central African Republic (CAR) has been arraigned before a magistrates’ court in Makurdi, Benue State, for allegedly operating an illegal seminary and training seminarians under the pretext of preparing them to be ordained priests.
The suspect, has been  accused of cheating and dishonestly deceiving intending priests that he is assigned to train seminarians. The offence contravenes Section 324 of the Benue state laws, 2004.


The suspect was alleged to have collected the sum of N70,000 each from 12 applicants, amounting to N840,000 to train them as reverends and send them for further studies in Cameroon.
One of the victims, Simon Eze Onyeabo of No. 7 Mission Street, Emere, Enugu State, reported to the police ‘A’ division, Gboko, that the accused had deceived him that he, (Wendji) is operating a seminary to train priests.
The police prosecutor, James Zungwe, said the suspect claimed he was assigned to train seminarians for the Holy Face Congregation which branch is in Gboko town of the state and had appointed Simon Onyeabo to collect the said money from the 12 applicants.
It was learnt that during training at the Holy Face Congregation House, Gboko, established by the fake reverend, the 12 victims discovered that the seminary was illegal and not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission and the Catholic Diocese of Gboko.
Sequel to the discovery, the fake reverend sent the applicants away without refunding their money and or sending them to Cameroon and quickly recruited new seminarians.