A thieving pastor’s pure intentions became clear after he was caught with a congregant’s missing panties and bra: He explained that he needed them to pray for her.

The police in Lagos [Nigeria] on Monday arraigned a 25-year-old pastor, Tommy Issachar, over an alleged stealing of a female church member’s underwear and N10,000 ($63) cash.

[The prosecutor] said that the accused stole two pants, one bra and a cash sum of N10,000 belonging to Mrs Gift Bassey.

“The accused, a pastor of All Nations Evangelical Church, Oshodi, was invited to a programme at the headquarters of the church which was the complainant’s church. The complainant and her husband accommodated him (pastor) in their house for three nights to conduct a special prayer session related to her husband’s business,” he said. …

“At first, the accused denied taking those underwears but later confessed that he actually took them. He said that he wanted to use them to pray for her, but denied taking the money,” the prosecutor said.