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Herbalists nabbed for collecting N26 million for spiritual cleansing

The defendants collected £29,000 (about N26 million) from the complainant for the spiritual cleansing exercise.

• April 28, 2022
Shrine
Shrine used to illustrate the story

Two traditional healers, who allegedly swindled a woman of £29,000 were on Thursday docked in a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

The police charged Mohammed Samatu, 40, and Ajani Kazeem, 47 with three counts of conspiracy, obtaining by false pretences and theft.

They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Prosecution counsel Idowu Osungbure, told the court that the defendants committed the offence sometime in March, at Yaba area of Lagos.

She said the complainant, Juliet Enwerobi, consulted the defendants on some personal issues she was experiencing.

The police officer added that the defendants told the complainant that she had spiritual problems and needed to be ”cleansed.”

Ms Osungbure further told the court that the defendants collected £29,000 (about N26 million) from the complainant for the spiritual cleansing exercise.

The offence, she said, contravened sections 314, 287 and 411 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

Chief Magistrate Adeola Adedayo admitted the defendants to bail of N5 million each with two responsible sureties in like sum.

She further directed that one of each of the sureties must be a blood relation with all of them residing within the court’s jurisdiction.

The court held that the sureties must also submit copies of their National Identification Number (NIN), Bank Verification Number (BVN) and their passports to the court.

She added that they must be gainfully employed with evidence of three years’ tax payment to Lagos government.

Ms Adedayo adjourned the case until May 17 for mention.

(NAN)

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