Herbalist Allegedly Defrauds Businesman of N190m To Cure Illness

A 43-year-old herbalist, Adeniyi Adewunmi, was on Monday arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court for allegedly defrauding an ailing businessman of N190m in Lagos.

He was facing four counts of obtaining money under false pretences and stealing.

Naija News gathered that the suspect reportedly collected the money from the complainant, Lawrence Akanbi, in tranches under the pretext of curing his ailment.

The businessman had in February 2016 consulted Adewunmi in the Ajao Estate, Lagos, seeking medicines for diabetes, asthma and deliverance from a spiritual attack.

The police alleged that Akanbi paid part of the sum to the herbalist in cash and made several deposits into his bank account. Adewunmi also devised different strategies to maneuver the complainant each time he became suspicious.

However, the businessman realized that he had been swindled after his illness persisted. He then invited the herbalist to his house in Ajao Estate early January 2018 to collect another sum of money when he was arrested.

The police prosecutor, Sergeant Friday Mameh, told the court that the alleged offence contravened sections 287, 314(a), 314(2) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The presiding Chief Magistrate, A.F.O. Botoku, therefore, granted him N20m bail with two sureties in like sum, adding that one of the sureties should be a level 15 officer in the state civil service.

He therefore, adjourned the case till February 12, 2018 and ordered the defendant be remanded in prison pending when his bail conditions would be perfected.