BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
A politician in Osun State, Israel Alade, has accused two suspected spiritualists of defrauding him of the sum of N20 million in the build up to the recently held 2023 general elections in the country.
The Point gathered that Alade, said to be a member of the All Progressives Congress in the state, aspired to contest for a seat in the Osun State House of Assembly.
He was said to have returned from overseas to make his political ambition come through and was one of those picked as House of Assembly candidates during the controversial primaries of the opposition party in the state.
It was further gathered that Alade, who was relatively unknown in the state, had approached two men, who claimed to be spiritualists, Adekunle Raimi, 43 and Adedokun Tunde, 24, for them to make him popular in his constituency and in return, be massively voted during the March 2023 polls.
Unfortunately for Alade, he reportedly lost the election to a candidate of the People’s Democratic Party despite giving the sum of N20 million allegedly demanded by the spiritualists for them to organise prayers for the politician’s electoral victory.
Aggrieved by his loss, Alade reported to the police in the state that Raimi, Tunde and others said to be at large, duped him of the sum of N20 million between October 2022 and March 2023 in Osogbo.
The police arrested the suspected spiritualists and dragged them before a Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Osogbo after completion of investigation.
The charge read, “That you Adekunle Raimi, aged 43 and Adedokun Tunde, aged 24 and others now at large, between the month of October 2022 and March 2023, at Osogbo in the Osogbo Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit a felony to wit: Obtaining Money by False Pretence and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 422 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol.II Laws of Osun State, 2002
“That you (defendants) did by false pretence and with intent to defraud, obtain the sum of Twenty Million Naira (N20, 000,000:00) from one Israel Alade ‘m’ under the pretence of organising spiritual prayers for his political ambition, a pretence you know to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 419 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol.Il Laws of Osun State, 2002.
“You did conspire among yourselves to commit a felony to wit: Stealing and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol.Il Laws of Osun State, 2002
“That you Adekunle Raimi and Adedokun Tunde and others now at large, on the same date, time, place and in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did steal the sum of Twenty Million Naira (N20, 000,000:00), property of one Israel Alade ‘m’ and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol.II Laws of Osun State, 2002.”
However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the allegations.
Their counsel, Suleiman Akano, made an oral bail application for them and informed the court that they would be available to stand their trial.
He informed the court that Raimi and Tunde told him that they had refunded the sum of N3 million to the complainant after they had obtained an affidavit that they only collected N10 million from Alade for the alleged spiritual prayers.
Police prosecutor, Inspector Elisha Olusegun, did not object to the bail prayers.
Chief Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara said he would be considering a formal bail application because of the amount on the face of the charge.
He, therefore, ordered that the accused persons be remanded in Ilesa Correctional Centre and adjourned till September 4 for mention.
