THE Kwara state police command has charged a 35-year old Islamic cleric, Alfa Jimoh Saadu, of Ile Kewu community, Alfa Yahaya area in Ilorin and a Islamic tutor, Alfa Abdulganiy Saad of Oke Agodi in the Ilorin metropolis to court over allegation of extortion and threat to life.
According to police prosecution officer, Inspector Nasir Yusuf, while appearing before Magistrate A. M. Ibrahim in Ilorin at the weekend, said that Jimoh Saadu, allegedly posed as an Islamic cleric to one Abdulganiy, a resident in Lagos.
The police inspector said that Jimoh Saadu had claimed to his victim that he had supernatural powers to deal with evil spirits, and allegedly gave black soap and black powdery substance to his victim to mix with pap for drinking.
He also said that Abdulganiy immediately became a prey to the suspected cleric after drinking the charm, while allegedly obeying all instructions dished out by the suspect.
The inspector also told the court that Jimoh Saadu later introduced Abdulganiy to another suspected fake cleric named Abdulganiy Saad, who happened to be Jimo’s younger brother, while he allegedly acted as an aged man on phone while talking with their victim.
He said that Jimoh had instructed his victim to give whatever amount of money the suspected “aged man” demanded, just as the suspected fake cleric gave the victim his account number.
The victim of the scam said that he did not realise he was being charmed until he gave out about N2.5 million to Jimoh and his younger brother.
Abdulganiy said he quickly narrated the development to his elder siblings when he came back to his senses, while he was advised to report the activities of the suspected fake clerics to police.
The police inspector said that the two suspects had confessed to be fake spiritualists. He also said that items such as black bottle containing black substance and three sim cards were found in Jimoh’s apartment while three different sim cards were found on Abdulganiy, when police reportedly ransacked their residence. It was said that they could not give explanation of what they use the items for.
The police inspector said that Jimoh jumped bail when the two accused persons were granted bail, adding that they threatened lives of the person that reported their case to police, including that of members of his family.
The magistrate, who had ordered that the suspects should be remanded in Oke Kura prison, refused to grant them bail because they had jumped bail. The case was adjourned to March 28, 2017.
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