Police dock 2 traditional healers over alleged N26.7m fraud

Two traditional healers were docked at a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Thursday for allegedly defrauding a client of N26.7 million.

The traditional healers, Bode Olasupo, 53, and Kabiru Ogundare, 55 allegedly took the money from one Mr Olufolajimi Olugbadebo under the pretext of freeing him from diseases and witchcraft.

They face a three-count charge of conspiracy, obtaining by false pretences and stealing.

The duo pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Police prosecutor, SP Idowu Osungbure, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on Sept. 17 in Yaba area of Lagos in contravention of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State.

Section 314 of the law stipulates 15 years imprisonment for obtaining by false pretences, while Section 287 stipulates three years imprisonment for stealing.

Presiding Chief Magistrate Adeola Adedayo, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N10 million each with two responsible sureties in like sum.

She ruled that one of each of the defendants’ sureties must be a blood relation while all the sureties must be resident within the court’s area of jurisdiction.

She added that the sureties must be gainfully employed and must produce evidence of tax payment to Lagos State.

Adedayo adjourned the case to Jan. 19 for mention.