Five herbalists docked for allegedly fleecing man of N4.7m

An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday remanded five herbalists for allegedly fleecing a man of N4.7 million under the pretext of solving his spiritual problems.
The accused are: Idowu Olofin, 32; Korede Akomolafe, 30; Temitope Oluyemi, 43; Wale Onifade, 36 and Seun Fabusola, 28, who were residents of Ado-Ekiti in Ekiti.
They are facing a three-count charge of stealing, fraud and obtaining under false pretences.
The chief magistrate, A.A. Fashola, granted the accused N500,000 bail each with two sureties each in like sum.
Fashola said the sureties should be gainfully employed and must produce evidence of three years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
He also ordered the prosecutor to verify the residential addresses of the sureties.
The magistrate added that the accused persons should remain in Kirikiri Prisons pending when their bail conditions would be perfected.
The magistrate adjourned the case until June 6 for further hearing.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Sergeant Micheal Unah, had told the court that the accused allegedly collected N4.7 million from the complainant (name withheld).
Unah said that the accused had promised to solve the complainant’s spiritual problems and revive his dwindling business.
He said: “The accused fraudulently collected the sum of N4.7million from the complainant by reciting some incantations to help him solve his spiritual problems.
“The defendants took the complainant to the beach where they wilfully collected the money from him.
“The complainant who later regained his senses after the accused persons had left, reported the matter to the police.’’
He told the court that the accused committed the offences on May 3 at 9.30 a.m. at Alpha Beach, Ajah in Lagos State.
The prosecutor said that the accused bought a Toyota Camry and Lexus 330 salon cars from the money they fraudulently obtained from the complainant.
The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 287 and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Section 287 stipulates seven years’ imprisonment for offender, while Section 314 prescribes a 15-year jail term for false pretences.