Nigerian Pastor Jailed in Ireland for Stealing €125,000 from Redeemed Christian Church in Kildare

Ebenezer Oduntan, a former pastor of City of David Church in Naas, Co Kildare, has been sentenced to six and a half years in prison. He was found guilty of stealing and defrauding over €125,000 from the church.

Following a three-week trial at Naas Circuit Criminal Court last month, Oduntan, 58, was convicted of 87 charges related to theft and fraud.

The City of David Church, a branch of the Nigerian-based Redeemed Christian Church of God, has been situated in Naas Enterprise Park, Naas, Co Kildare, since 2015.

Oduntan, a married father of four residing in Curragh Grange, Newbridge, Co Kildare, initially pleaded innocence to a total of 54 charges but later admitted guilt to 19 counts of theft, five counts of deception, and nine charges of providing false information to the Companies Registration Office during his trial.

As pastor of the City of David Church from 2012 to 2020, Oduntan had sole access and control over its accounts.

In sentencing Oduntan, Judge Martina Baxter described his actions as a “very prolonged, premeditated, and well-planned scheme,” highlighting his deliberate deception.

The court heard that Oduntan embezzled church funds, including personal cheques of up to €20,000, and used money intended for parishioners for personal expenses like his wife’s business and health insurance.

Despite admitting to some level of responsibility for a portion of the stolen funds, Oduntan failed to return any money stolen from the church, resulting in a loss of over €125,000.

Judge Baxter noted the absence of financial controls within the church during Oduntan’s tenure, attributing this to the high esteem in which its members held him.

During his trial, evidence revealed Oduntan’s involvement in an elaborate fraud scheme aimed at inflating donations to the church, resulting in excessive reimbursements under the Charitable Donation Scheme.

In sentencing Oduntan, Judge Baxter emphasised the severity of his breach of trust and fiduciary duties, characterising his actions as “serious wrongdoing.”

Oduntan received a seven-year prison sentence for deception charges, six and a half years for theft convictions, and three and a half years for providing false information to the Companies Registration Office. All sentences are to run concurrently, with the final six months suspended.

During the trial, Oduntan expressed remorse but continued to dispute the jury’s verdict. His counsel pleaded for leniency, highlighting Oduntan’s lack of prior convictions and his community ostracisation.

After hearing the plea for leniency, Judge Baxter accepted that Oduntan expressed remorse but stressed the seriousness of his crimes. She acknowledged that he may have been excluded from certain circles but emphasised that it did not justify the breach of trust he committed.

The judge’s sentencing reflects the court’s commitment to upholding the integrity of financial systems and holding individuals accountable for their actions, particularly those in positions of trust within religious institutions.

Oduntan’s prison term will be backdated to March 13, 2024, the date of his initial custody.