Why I chained my 9-year old son, Cele Pastor confessed

The father of the nine-year old boy found chained in a room in a Celestial Church of Christ in Ota, Ogun State has confessed to the police that he chained the boy to exorcise the spirit of stealing in him.

The man, Pastor Francis Taiwo, who was arrested Sunday by the Ogun State Police Command told detectives that he chained his son, Korede, because he was not comfortable with his stealing habit.

Pastor Taiwo, 40, of Key of Joy Celestial Church, Ajibawo near Atan, Ota, Ogun State was arrested with the help of members of the church in Ota.

The boy, Korede, was rescued on Friday by security operatives more than a month in a room tied with chain.

Investigations revealed that Pastor Taiwo hailed from neighbouring Benin Republic, but was born in Ota, in the same Celestial Church and was ordained as a Pastor in the church in 2012.

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 2, Onikan, Lagos, Abdulmajid Ali directed that the case be transferred to the Anti Human Trafficking and Child Labour Unit of the Ogun State Command, Abeokuta, for investigation and prosecution.

The police in a statement on Sunday disclosed that the Cele pastor was married to two wives before he married Kehinde Taiwo, the step-mother to Korede, who is a suspect in the ongoing case.

“Francis, father of five, confirmed that Korede’s mother, Marine Taiwo, hailed from Delta State and is late.

“And that she had four children for him. Two boys and two girls, before she divorced him in 2007, just after she was delivered of Korede.

“None of Korede’s siblings stays with the Pastor and he confirmed that he chained Korede because he felt he’s possessed and he’s not comfortable with his stealing habit”, Adejobi, the State PPRO said in a statement.