NEWS UPDATE

 Ukraine seizes the assets of an African pastor

Adelaja

Ukrainian police buckled yesterday morning refraining from arresting the prominent Nigerian pastor who had been summoned to report at its offices in Kiev, as international pressure mounted on the controversial case which has been on for several years now, Empowered Newswire reports.

Speaking with Empowered Newswire yesterday by phone after he had returned from the police invitation Pastor Sunday Adelaja said "they turned me back on arrival, they did'nt even let me inside, they said they had changed the date till next week Tuesday."

But while the famous pastor may have got a respite, he said he has just discovered recently that his assets in the country, including his house, cars and accounts have been frozen by the police.

Adelaja who is based in Kiev, the capital city of Ukraine was described by New York Times as one of the "best known public figures" in Ukraine, where he leads what is perhaps the largest church in the country, The Embassy of God.

According to him, he was told at the Bogomoltsa street facility of the Ukrainian police in Kiev that "the charges are not ready yet," as at yesterday. But he added that "they gave me another warrant for next week."

In the last few days, he said while trying to use some of his assets, he discovered to his shock that they had been seized by the police.

Said he: "I did nt know, this was done behind my back, so when we checked we discovered that my assets have been seized."

But he continued to assert his innocence in the collapse of the business King's Capital, for which he is being investigated amid speculations of charges of fraud and running a criminal organization.

According to both Adelaja and the owners of the company, he has no formal links to the company neither did he receive any form of benefits from the company.

Building up to his visit yesterday to the Ukrainian police, a groundswell of international pressure has been mounting, especially in the US where Adelaja's church has local chapters.

Other US-based church leaders including the Chairman of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in North America, Dr. James Fadele wrote to the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asking the American government to intervene on the side of the rule of law and democratic tenets.

In his letter to the Secretary of State, Pastor Fadele said "I am writing to express our concern on the fate of a prominent pastor in Ukraine, a country which the United States maintains an active diplomatic relations. Media reports say Pastor Sunday Adelaja of the Embassy of God in Kiev, arguably the country's largest Christian church has been summoned by the country's national police for possible arrest and detention tomorrow August 28, 2012, over the failure of a business company owned by some members of the church.

Continuing the RCCG leader in the US added that the Ukrainian police is curtailing Adelaja's freedoms, "violating every known norm of fundamental human rights. Even Ukraine's own constitutional and legal stipulations governing arrest and detention of persons have been breached."

He then asked the US government and Mrs Clinton to "use your good offices and the diplomatic clout of the US government to mediate in this possible political stunt against a religious leader in Ukraine."

Besides, an online petition at ipetition website was also garnering signatories across the world in support of Pastor Sunday Adelaja.

According to Adelaja's representative in the US, Pastor Dala Alphonso, it was at the same police facility in Kiev where Adelaja reported on Tuesday morning that three members of the church reported exactly a week ago, and were arrested, charged and currently still detained without a hearing or trial.

However, Alphonso continued that those backing Adelaja should not relent as yet but should be "reminded that Pastor Sunday Adelaja's personal assets which includes his home, vehicles and bank accounts have been possessed by the government without any trial or due process of the rule of law; nor have the allegation been formally dismissed!

According to him, "while we celebrate today's victory, we are much more determined to end this protracted persecution of Pastor Sunday Adelaja and the Church members in Kiev!

He asked that more people should sign one of the many petitions including the one at www.standwithsunday.com.