Relationship with Rev. Emeka King
Actually I can't say I have a personal relationship with him, but I have a client-based relationship with him in the sense that they ( CPA Church ) have actually consulted my services in several of their matters for the church. From my records, I have been handling the church's cases for the past two years.

Some of the cases handled
Last year or thereabout, there were some matters brought to my attention in respect of a publication by a national newspaper (not Saturday Champion), dated April 25, 2004. The paper's title was: Prayer for sale, oddities of a Lagos Church .

Another one was where they stated that Rev. King charges all manners of fees for counseling. It involves a charge ofN25,000 for calling Rev. King's real name and some other issues raised by the newspaper. So, they asked me to go to court to sue the paper for libel, which presently, the matter is pending in the state High Court in Lagos . It is just for defamation and they are claiming N14m.

Also, I have handled several of their matters, both the one involving assault carried out at by the church members based on the instruction of Rev. King and some cases involving abduction of wife and children among others.

Kelechi's abduction saga
Presently, there is a case he (Rev. King) went to court for. That is the one involving Rev. Sister Kelechi. Actually, she is known as Holy Rev. Sister Queen King. That is what the G.O., the Rev. King, gave her as a name.

There was a time they came, that was sometime in June this year. They came to my office with some three or four other young men, that they want Rev. Sister Kelechi, to disown her parents. I told them I can't handle such case that the court does not give room for such provision. I told them that one cannot make such an application before the court.

But I know that she has the right or freedom of worship and association. That was what actually we did because I filed the matter in the High Court. The application was for her to enforce her fundamental human rights. The court granted relief and on August 1, I was billed to go and move the motion on notice before this fire incident.

Why I withdrew my services from the church
It is a very serious issue. Actually, I have Written to the church to withdraw my services in all their matters, both in the high courts and the Magistrate courts, that I'm presently handling based on the fact that I have come to an opinion that handling their cases will make me very unpopular and to an extent, it will affect my conscience as somebody who believes in human rights.

It is not that I am trying to say or sentence Rev King for murder, but based on conscience and the weight of evidence ­against him, I'm not inclined. So, I sort of, had a rethink, even though I was doing my job as a legal practitioner based on the facts before me. But this time, it calls for a deep reflection. So, that is why I decided to withdraw all my services based on conscience, morality and religion.

In fact, it was when this incidence (alleged burning of church members by Rev. King) happened that I made one or two inquiries on this case and from the little investigation I made, it was very unheard of. I couldn't even believe my ears because supposedly, one was actually representing a man of God and a Church for that matter. I am not to say who is guilty or not because the court's preserve to do that.

I was called a traitor.
I was in court the last time. I wanted to stay out of this matter but I was in court in the last sitting. One of the lawyers to Rev. King saw and called me a traitor. I told him that if I'm a traitor, let it be on the side of justice and equity, that I cannot stand and see injustice happen, that I'm moved to make sure that justice is done in this matter.

Most of the members are victims of circumstance. There is high degree of manipulation. All the victims, including Kelechi, are victims of circumstance.

My experience with the church.
Actually, I have never been a member of the Church. But I have been invited to one of the programmes (the church's anniversary). It was a vigil. The way I saw the church members demonstrate for Rev. King made me feel, as if they see him as a demigod, in fact "Jesus of our time. They respect him to the level of his being referred to as a god.

The members fanatically follow him, and can do anything at his command. That is what observed, just at a day's programme, and from that day henceforth, I said I can't be part and parcel of such a church gathering because, it doesn't suit my conscience and my way of worship.

Kelechi's situation
Kelechi's situation is really a pitiable situation. It can happen to any of the church members. As I said earlier, she is a victim of circumstance. Rev. King has a compelling intimidatory presence. By his words even, you can move mountain. I don't want to go into the circumstance of what she did or didn't do.

Really, the situation is very dicey. But if the state wants to make her a prosecutor witness for the state, I think that will actually help her matter. And I think her case deserves that because she is a victim of circumstance.

Why I remained their lawyer
Not until the time of this alleged incidence, at no point in time did I realize that the church engages in acts that are detrimental to other persons. What they usually do is to come and tell me that some person(s) infringed on their right. I act on those facts before me. Incidentally, I win all their cases that I handled.

I was acting based on information before me. But at a point in time, I said, "why cases for a man of God? Cases here and there? Why only your church? It never came to a level where I could actually see that the church could be indicted for any of those cases.

Message to Nigeria
The government should be very mindful of these churches. The police should play more decisive role in the country to investigate the nature of churches we have, so as to avoid a greater calamity like what we had in America .

If not, that this thing happened, possibly, something worse than this would have happened. The police should actually carry out investigation on most of these churches, especially those of them who are involved in what I might refer to as engaging in crime, assault, abduction amongst others.

The constitution gives freedom of worship but that does not fall within the realms of criminality. The church should not be notorious for causing harms, injuries to members and the generality of the people.