Woman accuses Liberation Christian Center, pastor of failing to repay more than $79K in loans

A woman is suing a church and pastor on the city's South Side, claiming they have failed to repay thousands of dollars in money she loaned them.

Aretha Hence filed a lawsuit July 28 in the Cook County Circuit Court against Liberation Christian Center and James E. Dukes, alleging breach of contract.

According to the complaint, Hence made four loans to Dukes for Liberation Christian Center on multiple occasions in 2007 and 2009 for plumbing work, legal fees and the church's mortgage, but has only been repaid about $1,000.

Hence further claims she lent Dukes $75,000 that he allegedly told her would only need to sit in his bank account for a bank to see in order to make the decision to grant the church a mortgage. The suit states Dukes on Nov. 18 made a sworn testimony the loans were not gifts and the church would pay Hence back.

Both the church and Dukes are accused of breach of contract. Duke is also accused of fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation and negligent misrepresentation.

Hence is seeking the $79,320 she claims she is owed and is being represented in the case by attorney Joseph Younes of the Law Offices of Joseph Younes in Chicago.

Cook County Circuit Court Case No. 2014L007880.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed in the Cook County Circuit Court. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note, a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt, and it only represents one side of the story.