Morris Fadehan, an evangelist with the Celestial Church of Christ, Grace of Comfort Parish, Ile-Ife, Osun State, was allegedly killed by one of his assistants over an unresolved dispute.
The assistant identified as Lekan Ogundipe was said to have attacked the clergyman at the church altar, located in the Omitoto area of Ile-Ife, stabbing him with sharp objects and attempting to burn his body on Monday before he reported the matter to church elders.
A security source in Ile-Ife confided in the medium that the suspect had an unresolved argument with the late Shepard over assault on a prophetess since last Wednesday, before the attack that led to the clergyman’s death on Monday.
The source said the suspect sneaked into the church and unleashed mayhem on the unsuspecting Fadehan while bowing on the altar in prayer, covering the clergyman’s head with a cloth before stabbing severally on the neck and head.
It was gathered that the said suspect went back to a Church elder identified as Pa Olafare to report that fire was burning on the Shepard’s body inside the Church, a situation that prompted the elder to follow him to the scene.
Also, a video on one of the church’s social media handles showed Pa Olafare, an elder in the church narrating the incident to the visitors from the church’s headquarters.
His words, “The deceased had reported to me that he was to disengaged Lekan (suspect) as his assistant over many unlawful acts. Most recent of it include the assault on a prophetess in the church last week Wednesday and I agreed with him, but he added that he will take the decision after consulting with the elders.
“But while I was about eating on Monday evening, the said Lekan came to the house and told me fire is burning on the deceased body and that he was lifeless on the floor, hence, I drove back with him and my wife to the church where we found the deceased body burnt inside the church.
“We discovered blood stained on different parts of his body and cuts, while asking him how he got the stains, he attempted to run, we grabbed him and luck him in my car before calling in the police.
“We unwrapped the deceased body and discovered that there was nail in his ear and several cut on the head and neck before we took the body to the morgue of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife.
“Meanwhile Lekan later confessed to the police that he perpetrated the illegal acts because of a dispute with the deceased.
The prophetess, in her own narration, said the suspect attacked her last Wednesday for telling him to stop telling members that they were in a relationship, adding that the pastor met the unfortunate incident and warned the suspect against assaulting the church.
Confirming the incident, Osun State Police Command spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola said the suspect has been taken into custody for further investigation.
“The suspect is in custody. The police visited the scene, and the body was found in a pool of blood. Several bruises were discovered on the body, hence, it was taken to Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital for an autopsy,” she added.
