A Lagos State Magistrate Court has granted a prophetess, Folake Olasode and a school teacher, Damilola Aboloyinijo, bail of N1.5m after allegedly preparing fake charms for protection and obtaining the sum of N8m from the victim.
Olasode, 35, and Aboloyinijo, 31, arraigned before Magistrate Aderemi Gbajumo, are facing five charges, including conspiracy, theft, obtaining money under pretence, unlawful assault, and disturbing the public peace, brought against them by the police.
The prosecution, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Francis Igbinosa, informed the court that Olasode and Aboloyinijo conspired and carried out the alleged crimes in May 2024.
Igbinosa said the defendants, along with others who are still at large, deceived a woman, Sarah Umeh into paying them N8 million claiming to have prepared protective charms for her and her children.
The Incident which reportedly occurred at 7A, Jide Agbalaya Street, Chevy-View, Lekki, Lagos saw the defendants make incisions on her and her children falsely representing that these actions would protect them from harm.
Additionally, Igbinosa told the court that the defendants unlawfully assaulted Umeh and her children by making incisions on their bodies with a razor blade under the pretence of offering protection from death.
The defendants were also accused of disrupting public peace by burning charms in a calabash within Umeh’s compound.
The prosecutor noted that the alleged crimes violated Sections 411, 314, 287, 172, 287, and 168(d) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Counsel for the defendants, Moses Enema, filed an application for bail, arguing that they were first-time offenders.
Magistrate Gbajumo granted bail to each defendant in the sum of N750,000, with two sureties each.
The Court held that sureties must have valid means of livelihood, proper identification, and evidence of Lagos State Residents’ Registration.
The Magistrate instructed the prosecutor to verify their addresses and other documents.
The case was adjourned until October 14, 2024, for trial.