A herbalist, Abiodun David, has been arrested by the Zone 2 Police Command for allegedly defrauding a cab driver of about N4m.
The police said the victim, Adebayo Omoniyi, had been introduced to the suspect by a friend, who claimed that he (David) had made charms for him which were effective.
David was alleged to have promised to make a charm that would boost Omoniyi’s transport business and make wealthy people in the society to favour him.
However, after paying the money, which was for concoctions and other ingredients, the 38-year-old reportedly did not notice any improvement in his fortune, and when he challenged the suspect for a refund, his request was turned down.
He subsequently reported a case of fraud to the police at the zone 2 command, leading to the arrest of the suspect at his shrine in Atan, Sango, Ogun State, last week Thursday.
A police source said operatives recovered a tortoise and bottled candles from the shrine.
He said, “The herbalist said one Kazeem he worked for introduced Omoniyi to him to also assist him in preparing a charm that will boost his transport business and make him to find favour with wealthy people in the society so that he can get rich.”
However, the suspect claimed he only collected N380,000 from the victim, adding that he was surprised the matter was reported to the police.
He said, “I prepared bars of soap and some other concoctions for him. After a month, he came back and accused me of defrauding him and said what I gave him did not work as expected. That was how I was arrested by the policemen at my shrine in Atan. He was not the first person I would prepare the charm for.
“I learnt the herbalist job from my grandmother, who was an herbalist before she died. Initially, I was a barber before I started the herbalist job. Since I started the work, I have not prepared money ritual for people. What I do is to assist those in need of favour and some other medical-related issues.
“I was surprised when I was told that I collected N4m from the cab driver. The tortoise and the candle in the bottle that were recovered from my shrine are meant for a client. I don’t do money ritual for people.”
The Zonal Police Public Relation Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, said the suspect was a fraudster who always disguised as an old man to deceive his victims.
She said, “The suspect always put on costumes to deceive people that he is actually an herbalist. He collected N4m from the victim. The Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Adamu Ibrahim, has said that the suspect should be charged to court after completion of investigation.”
