Owerri Bank Robbery: 'Evil' Pastor Who Kept Rifles In His Church For The Robbers Arrested During Service

 

 

The founder of Jesus The Rock of Salvation Healing Ministry, Uratta, in the Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo state, Pastor Chiedozie Anochima, has been arrested by security operatives in connection with the February 22, 2017, deadly robbery in a bank.

 

Reacall that few months ago, the Wetheral Road branch of Zenith Bank in Owerri, the state capital, were attacked by armed robbers which left two policemen dead, with another injured, while one of the armed robbers was gunned down during the operation.

 

According to PUNCH newspaper, the police, who had since rounded up the fleeing members of the gang, said the arrest of the cleric during a church service last Sunday was a major breakthrough in the investigation of the crime.

 

While speaking to a correspondent, a police source said on Wednesday that the arrest of the last member of the gang, Chinonso Onwugbuchlam, one year after the incident, helped the police to arrest the pastor.

 

The source disclosed that it was in the course of interrogation that Onwugbuchlam, who was arrested by F-SARS operatives in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, mentioned the pastor’s name.

 

He said, “Onwugbuchulam named one Pastor Chiedozie Anochima as one of them. The pastor is 36 years old and he is the founder of Jesus The Rock of Salvation Healing Ministry, a church in Urratta, in the Owerri North LGA.”

 

Speaking further, the source revealed that Onwugbuchulam confessed that the pastor kept the gang’s rifles after operations and prayed for them for protection.

 

“Onwuegbuchulam led the F-SARS operatives to his church where we arrested him during a church service. The pastor was surprised to see us. We swooped on him and arrested him immediately. That was last Sunday,” the source said.

 

The state Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, said the arrest of the cleric was a big breakthrough for the command.

 

He said, “Yes, it is true. We have arrested the pastor and he is with us. You know that criminal investigation is like kerosene; it spreads. The more you investigate a crime, the more it spreads.