SPAC Nation Church founder, Tobi Adegboyega’s lawyer, Dele Olawanle, has denied reports that the pastor who had been based in the UK, is facing deportation.
He insisted that Adegboyega is not a criminal, despite allegations of financial misconduct linked to his now-defunct church, SPAC Nation.
Olawanle has therefore labeled the deportation claims as “false” and “sensationalist, emphasizing that Adegboyega is not facing deportation.
“He is not facing deportation from the UK. Deportation is for criminals. He is not.”
Olawanle further clarified that despite the issues surrounding SPAC Nation, including the Charity Commission’s concerns over financial mismanagement, Adegboyega himself had never been personally found guilty of any crime.
“Even though the courts and the Charity Commission had issues with SPAC Nation, he was not personally found guilty of any wrongdoing,” Olawanle asserted.
The lawyer also highlighted that Adegboyega has lived in the UK for over 20 years without a criminal conviction and has made substantial contributions to the community.
Olawanle expressed his displeasure over the way Adegboyega has been portrayed, especially in the media.
“Tobi has faced many challenges, but he is a winner,” He said.
He condemned the sensationalism surrounding the case, describing as “an act of idiocy.”
The lawyer further reiterated that the deportation reports were completely false and stated that he would make no further public comments on the matter.
“I have said that this latest news on deportation is false, and I will make no further comments on this deportation matter privately or officially,” he said.
According to earlier reports in The Telegraph, Adegboyega had lost his appeal against deportation, following allegations of financial mismanagement that involved over £1.87 million.
SPAC Nation, the church he founded, was shut down after the Charity Commission raised concerns over “serious misconduct and/or mismanagement” in its finances.
Further allegations from former church members described SPAC Nation as operating like a “cult,” accusing it of exploiting vulnerable individuals by pressuring them into taking out loans, committing benefit fraud, and even selling their blood to make donations.
Despite these allegations, a UK tribunal ruled that the church’s overall work would not suffer significantly should Adegboyega be required to leave the UK.
The tribunal also concluded that Adegboyega’s appeal to remain, based on his family and private life in the UK, was made while he was living unlawfully in the country.
It emphasized that the decision to refuse his application was “wholly proportionate.”