The police in Lagos have commenced an
investigation into a case involving one Oladele, 45, a prophet at a
church in Oke Ira, in the Ogba area of the state.
investigation into a case involving one Oladele, 45, a prophet at a
church in Oke Ira, in the Ogba area of the state.
The police at the Special Fraud Unit,
Ikoyi, said the prophet was being held for allegedly defrauding a
businesswoman of N70m, a duplex, two five-bedroomed bungalows, a Lexus
and a Toyota Highlander, 2014 model.
Ikoyi, said the prophet was being held for allegedly defrauding a
businesswoman of N70m, a duplex, two five-bedroomed bungalows, a Lexus
and a Toyota Highlander, 2014 model.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the
woman’s ordeal began sometime in 2007 after she was told by a medical
doctor that her womb would have to be removed to heal her of fibroids.
woman’s ordeal began sometime in 2007 after she was told by a medical
doctor that her womb would have to be removed to heal her of fibroids.
She was said to have rejected the
doctor’s advice and resorted to a desperate search for an alternative
solution, during which she was introduced to the prophet.
doctor’s advice and resorted to a desperate search for an alternative
solution, during which she was introduced to the prophet.
The woman, who was 43 years old at the
time he met Oladele, had reportedly been battling with the ailment for
14 years, which made her to bleed from her private parts.
time he met Oladele, had reportedly been battling with the ailment for
14 years, which made her to bleed from her private parts.
It was gathered that the 45-year-old
prophet promised to make the fibrous tissue disappear and gave her some
concoctions after collecting N98,000 for the service. The bleeding was
said to have stopped.
prophet promised to make the fibrous tissue disappear and gave her some
concoctions after collecting N98,000 for the service. The bleeding was
said to have stopped.
However, the victim’s excitement was short-lived when the bleeding recurred two weeks after and she returned to the prophet.
It was said that Oladele subsequently
started coming up with different gimmicks to extort money from the
woman, including a claim that her husband was after her life and those
of her three children.
started coming up with different gimmicks to extort money from the
woman, including a claim that her husband was after her life and those
of her three children.
A senior police officer at the SFU said,
“The woman is from a prominent family in Lagos State and she is a
businesswoman. She had fibroids for 14 years and was driven from pillars
to posts, looking for healing. Eventually in 2007, she met a woman who
introduced her to the prophet.
“The woman is from a prominent family in Lagos State and she is a
businesswoman. She had fibroids for 14 years and was driven from pillars
to posts, looking for healing. Eventually in 2007, she met a woman who
introduced her to the prophet.
“The prophet told her that her husband
was the cause of the heavy blood flowed. He said the husband wanted to
kill her and that as long as the blood flows, the husband would continue
to make more money. He said the husband had to be eliminated for her to
live well. He also told her to bring her children – two females and a
male – for spiritual cleansing, saying their lives were also in danger.
was the cause of the heavy blood flowed. He said the husband wanted to
kill her and that as long as the blood flows, the husband would continue
to make more money. He said the husband had to be eliminated for her to
live well. He also told her to bring her children – two females and a
male – for spiritual cleansing, saying their lives were also in danger.
“He gave the children some concoctions.
He lived in the woman’s house in Ogba with her children whenever the
husband was not around. By this time, he had taken control of the woman
and her children. At a point, he told the woman to build a
five-bedroomed duplex for him at Ijoko (Ogun State), which she did
within three months. She also purchased a Toyota Highlander, 2014 model,
and a Lexus GX470, 2013 model, for him.”
He lived in the woman’s house in Ogba with her children whenever the
husband was not around. By this time, he had taken control of the woman
and her children. At a point, he told the woman to build a
five-bedroomed duplex for him at Ijoko (Ogun State), which she did
within three months. She also purchased a Toyota Highlander, 2014 model,
and a Lexus GX470, 2013 model, for him.”
It was learnt that the woman’s son ran
mad a few years ago after taking some herb from the prophet. It was
learnt that Oladele took the boy to his town in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State,
where he was healed.
mad a few years ago after taking some herb from the prophet. It was
learnt that Oladele took the boy to his town in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State,
where he was healed.
“He told the woman that she must build
two five bed-roomed bungalows for him in Ado Ekiti so that her son
madness would not return. After she built the houses, he told the woman
to stop having sex with her husband if she wanted to live long.
two five bed-roomed bungalows for him in Ado Ekiti so that her son
madness would not return. After she built the houses, he told the woman
to stop having sex with her husband if she wanted to live long.
“The woman made several transfers into
his three bank accounts. We have been able to get records of the
transfers to one of his banks which ran into over N70m,” the source
added.
his three bank accounts. We have been able to get records of the
transfers to one of his banks which ran into over N70m,” the source
added.
PUNCH Metro gathered that luck
ran out on the prophet sometime in March when it dawned on one of the
woman’s children, a lawyer, that the family was being defrauded after he
allegedly collected another millions of naira from her for spiritual
cleansing.
ran out on the prophet sometime in March when it dawned on one of the
woman’s children, a lawyer, that the family was being defrauded after he
allegedly collected another millions of naira from her for spiritual
cleansing.
Another investigator at the SFU said,
“The lawyer informed their father and the case was reported to the
police. The prophet was arrested in Ado Ekiti, where he had gone to
obtain a chieftaincy title.”
“The lawyer informed their father and the case was reported to the
police. The prophet was arrested in Ado Ekiti, where he had gone to
obtain a chieftaincy title.”
An official of the SFU, SP Ngozi Braide,
who spoke on the incident on behalf of the unit’s Commissioner of
Police, Ibrahim Lamorde, said the suspect confessed to the fraud.
who spoke on the incident on behalf of the unit’s Commissioner of
Police, Ibrahim Lamorde, said the suspect confessed to the fraud.
She said, “We have been able to trace
about N70m to his bank account. In his statement, he said he healed the
woman of the fibroids.”
about N70m to his bank account. In his statement, he said he healed the
woman of the fibroids.”
In the prophet’s statement to the
police, he said the houses and the two vehicles were gifts the woman
gave him. He said he did not use charms on her and her children.
police, he said the houses and the two vehicles were gifts the woman
gave him. He said he did not use charms on her and her children.
The man also told investigators that he gave some money to the woman that introduced the victim to her.
Braide said the police had launched a
manhunt for the accomplice, adding that the prophet had been granted
administrative bail and would be charged to court after the completion
of investigation.
manhunt for the accomplice, adding that the prophet had been granted
administrative bail and would be charged to court after the completion
of investigation.
“We urge members of the public to be
wary of people who devise various means of defrauding them of their
hard-earned money. Be careful about the kind of people you seek help
from,” Braide added.
wary of people who devise various means of defrauding them of their
hard-earned money. Be careful about the kind of people you seek help
from,” Braide added.