Teacher loses N1.6m to fake spiritualist

Cyriacus Izuekwe

Fake Spiritualist, Udochi Obimba (in red T-shirt) who allegedly defrauded a teacher to the tune of N1.6m for healing in court on Thursday.

A 37-year old fake spiritualist, Udochi Obimba has been arrested and charged before Ejigbo Magistrates’ court for allegedly defrauding a teacher, Peace Igboanusi, to the tune of N1.6m under false pretence of offering her spiritual deliverance in Lagos State, western Nigeria.

The incident happened at Ikotun, a suburb of Lagos where Obimba met Igboanusi on her way to work.

Abia State-born Obimba allegedly approached Igboanusi and offered to assist her spiritually to overcome her financial predicament.

P.M.NEWS gathered that before the victim fell for the antics of Obimba, the self-styled spiritualist first made revelation concerning her life and members of her family.

He reportedly took her to an undisclosed place in Ikotun where other members of his gang, who are now at large, told her that she needed prayers which entailed that she would pay certain amount of money to be free from spiritual bondage.

Thereafter, they subjected her to taking an oath and undergoing other rituals and after which she was ordered to go and get the money needed for her deliverance.

She was also assured that after the prayers, she would become rich and successful.

The victim said she did not know what came over her when she believed them and went and started borrowing money.

P.M.NEWS gathered that the more Igboanusi brought money, the more she was asked to bring and was under instruction not to tell anyone, not even her husband, until after the prayers and she becomes a successful woman.

While all this was going on, Igboanusi did not tell her husband.

She went to her relatives to borrow money for the gang and promised to pay back soon.

She had hoped that after the prayers she would have enough money and would refund all the money she borrowed.

When she could not get money any longer to give to the gang after she had lost N1.6 million, she became restless. Those she borrowed money from started disturbing her. They visited her home and demanded for a refund.

It was then her husband suspected her behaviour and forced her to open up. She eventually opend up and said Obimba and his gang collected all the money from her through various bank accounts for prayers and deliverance.

The matter was reported to the police at Area ‘M’ Command, Idimu, and the police started trailing Obimba.

Obimba was arrested in a bank where he had gone to withdraw the money Igboanusi paid into his bank account.

He was taken to the Command where he allegedly confessed to the police that he is a fraudster who specializes in duping gullible people in Lagos.

He also confessed that he has other accomplices and the money they collected from Igboanusi was shared among them.

Obimba was charged to court with obtaining under false pretence, stealing and impersonation under the Criminal Code.

He pleaded not guilty.

The presiding Magistrate, Mrs. J. O. E. Adeyemi granted Obimba bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum who must show evidence of tax payment for three years.

Obimba was remanded in prison custody at Kirikiri pending when he will perfect his bail condition.

The matter was adjourned till 14 March, 2016.