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Adetutu Sobowale
A Magistrate Court Sitting in Ilorin has ordered the remand of an Islamic Cleric, Muhammed Muritala, and his accomplice, Olajumoke Fafemi, at the Federal Correctional Centre, Madala for allegedly defrauding a woman of the sum of N30m.
The suspects were arraigned on a five-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, trespass, theft, and obtaining money under false pretense/fraud.
The duo were alleged of defrauding the woman, Muslimat Fagbemi, of the sum of N300,000 which they obtained fraudulently under the pretext of curing her of an ailment.
According to the prosecution, the accused persons also stole gold jewelry belonging to their victim which they claimed was contaminated by evil spirits.
The prosecution noted that the offenses contravened sections 97, 312, 348, 287 of the penal code and 1(3) of the advance fee fraud and other fraud-related offenses Act of 2006 and are punishable under the same laws.
Police First Information Report revealed that the complainant, Muslimat Fagbemi, said Olajumoke introduced Muritala to her as a cleric who could heal her of her leg disease
“The duo conspired and fraudulently collected N300,000 from the complainant under the pretense to cure her leg disease.
On February 2, 2022, you, Muhammed Muritala, also went to the complainant’s house and deceived her to bring all her gold jewelry outside to enable you to spray them with spiritual water because of an evil spirit in her room and she placed them on her bed.
“You then handed her a bottle of prepared prayer water and instructed her to go and wash her leg in the backyard of which before she returned, you (and Olajumoke) absconded with her gold jewelry valued at N30m,” the charge sheet added.
Speaking, the prosecutor, Gbenga Ayeni, said Muritala confessed that she conspired with Olajumoke to defraud the complainant of N300,000 and that they both trespassed into the complainant’s bedroom and absconded with the jewelry.
Ayeni stressed that the police investigation had led to the recovery of part of the stolen jewelry.
In his ruling, Magistrate Gbadeyan Kamson who presided over the case ordered that the two accused persons be kept in remand and adjourned the case till February 2, 2023, for the continuation of the hearing.
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