Two Islamic clerics arraigned for scamming doctor N280m

Two self-proclaimed Islamic clerics have been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly duping a medical doctor of the sum of N280m under the guise of performing spiritual prayers on the money.

The defendants, Saheed Atanda Aremu, 44, and Tolani Osuolale, 48, allegedly convinced Dr. Patrick Eloka Akaraiwe to hand over $200,000 in three tranches.

They claimed that the money had to be spiritually “fortified” before it could be safely used to buy property or else the doctor would face an untimely death.

The men, who claimed to be Alfas, were arraigned on Thursday on five counts bordering on conspiracy, fraud, obtaining by false pretence and stealing preferred against them by the police.

The police prosecutor, Joseph Eboseremen, told the court that the incident took place between November 19, 2020, and October 2023 in Ibadan, Oyo State and Oworonshoki, Lagos State, respectively.

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He said the suspects also posed as having spiritual powers to multiply the funds and falsely promised the doctor he could avoid calamity by complying with their instructions.

According to the charge, the offences committed contravened Sections 8 (a),1 (2), 1 (3), 2 (b) 3(c), 516, 383 and 390, of the Advance Fee Fraud and other fraud-related offences ACT, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004, 2006.