Former pastor’s theft and deception sentence cut on appeal

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

The Court of Appeal reduced former pastor Ebenezer Oduntan’s sentence for theft, deception and providing false information to the Companies Registration Office to six years, with the final six months suspended to encourage continued rehabilitation. He had originally received seven years’ imprisonment, with the final six months suspended, from Judge Martina Baxter at Naas Circuit Criminal Court. The proceedings were reported on 20 February 2026.

Oduntan pleaded guilty midway through a three-week trial to 19 counts of theft, five counts of deception and nine charges of providing false information to the Companies Registration Office. The report said the offences involved more than €125,000 taken from the City of David Church in County Kildare. Justice Alexander Owens said the offending was particularly serious and noted that no restitution had been made to the church or Revenue. Counsel for Oduntan argued that the original eight-year headline sentence was excessive, citing his personal circumstances, lack of previous convictions and the lower amount involved than in other cases.