A 35-year-old prophetess, Folake Olasode, and a schoolteacher, Damilola Aboloyinijo, 31, were brought before a Lagos State Magistrate Court in Tinubu on Monday for allegedly scamming a victim out of N8 million by promising protection through fake charms.
The two women face five charges, including conspiracy, theft, obtaining money under false pretenses, unlawful assault, and disturbing public peace, according to the police.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Francis Igbinosa, the prosecutor, revealed that Olasode and Aboloyinijo, whose residential addresses were not provided, committed the alleged crimes in May 2024. The incident reportedly occurred at 7A Jide Agbalaya Street in the Chevy-View area of Lekki, Lagos.
The prosecutor alleged that the accused conspired with others still at large to deceive Sarah Umeh into believing that they had prepared powerful protective charms for her and her three children. The fraudulent act involved using razor blades to make incisions on their bodies, a ritual falsely claimed to ward off death.
The duo is also accused of causing public unrest by burning charms in a calabash within Umeh’s compound.
The charges against them violate Sections 411, 314, 287, 172, 287, and 168 (d) of the Lagos State Criminal Laws of 2015.
Both Olasode and Aboloyinijo pleaded not guilty to the charges. Their defense counsel, Moses Enema, requested bail on the grounds that his clients were first-time offenders. Magistrate Aderemi Gbajumo granted bail at N750,000 each, with two sureties required for each defendant.
The sureties must have verifiable employment, valid identification, and proof of Lagos State residency, with the prosecutor responsible for verifying their addresses.
The trial is set to continue on October 14, 2024.
