A housewife, Mrs. Sarah Umeh, had a nasty experience in Lagos State after her bosom friend, Damilola Aboloyinjo, 31, allegedly connived with a self acclaimed Prophetess, Folake Olasode and swindled her of the sum of N8m by instilling fear in her with fake prophecies.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened in May 2024 at 7A, Jide Agbalaya Street, Chevy-View, Lekki, Lagos.
The 35-year old suspected fake Prophetess, Folake Olasode and her accomplice, Damilola Aboloyinjo, accosted Mrs. Umeh and gave her prophecies concerning her and her children. And to convince the victim, Mrs. Umeh, that they were effective spiritually, Olasode allegedly prepared charms inside a calabash for the victim and gave her to bury inside her residence.
Thereafter, she started collecting money from the victim up to N8m at various times under the pretence of using the money to prepare charms for her in a calabash to protect her and her three children spiritually from untimely death, which was false.
However, the information leaked to the victim that her friend connived with the Prophetess to defraud her with fake prophecies and spiritual powers and she regained her senses. But by then, she had parted with the money in question.
Thus, she petitioned the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG in charge of Zone 2 Command, Lagos, AIG Durosimi Olatoye, who directed his men to fish out the suspects.
The Police then moved into action, arrested the duo of Olasode and her accomplice, Aboloyinjo, at their temple.
After interrogation, the Police found them culpable and consequently charged them before the Court for the alleged offence under the Criminal Laws of the State.
According to the Police, Damilola Aboloyinjo, who is a friend of the complainant, was the one who allegedly convinced the complainant and lured her to meet Olasode for the fake spiritual exercise knowing fully that their spiritual claims were false.
They conspired and inscribed incisions on her body and that of her three children with razor blades and equally took them to the river to bath them, which they claimed was to wade off evil spirits from them.
Nemesis however, caught up with the suspects when the complainant later realized that they were defrauding her following a tip-off.
They were charged before the Igbosere Magistrate Court on Lagos Island on five-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, stealing, trial by ordeal and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.
The prosecutor, Supol Francis Igbinosa, told the Court that the alleged offences the defendants committed were punishable under Sections 411,314, 287,172 and 168(d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
They pleaded not guilty.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. Gbajumo Ayoku, granted them bail in the sum of N750,000 each with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and addresses will be verified by the Court.
The matter was adjourned till 14th October, 2024, for mention while the defendants were remanded in custody at the correctional center at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when they will perfect their bail conditions.