Single Lady Swindled N51m By Man, 70, As Spiritual Cleansing Fee

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

A single lady, Miss Joy Ayobami Okoro, is now counting her losses after she went to a fake spiritualist for prayers and was duped N51m in the process in Ojokoro area of Lagos.

The 70-year old self acclaimed spiritualist, Juwe Chukwuma Thomas, has been arrested over the alleged fraud.

The lady fell into his trap when he impersonated as the Oba Elegushi of Ikate Land and from there tricked her with fake visions of various calamities that will befall her unless she embarked on spiritual cleansing.

The lady believed him, agreed to undertake the spiritual cleansing over an undisclosed problem and from there she started giving Thomas money to the tune of the said amount before her eyes opened and she realised that she was defrauded.

The matter was reported to the Commissioner of Police, Monitoring Unit, Ikeja and Thomas was arrested. He was taken to the Police Command and he was said to have insisted that he embarked on spiritual cleansing on the lady with the amount.

Having been found culpable, he was charged before the Ogba Magistrates Court for impersonation, fraud and stealing.

He pleaded not guilty. 
The prosecutor, Supol Akeem Rank, told the Court to give a date for trial to enable the Police to prove that he actually committed the alleged offence.

The presiding Magistrate, Mrs. O.I. Adelaja, granted him bail in the sum of N5m with two sureties in like sum including a land owner.

The matter was adjourned till 2nd March, 2021, while the defendant, Thomas, will remain in custody pending when he will perfect his bail conditions.