An IIorin Magistrates’ Court on Monday remanded in prison a 45-year-old pastor, Adeyemi Tayo, over alleged abduction of a housewife.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Kudirat Yahya, ruled that the accused should be kept behind bars at the Okekura Prisons, Ilorin, following the prosecutor’s objection to his bail application.
He said the accused should remain in the prison until the next date of adjournment.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accused is being tried for a six-count charge of criminal breach of trust, criminal charm, enticement, extortion, abduction and advance fee fraud.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Sgt. Mathew Ologbonsaye told the court that the accused, a resident of Gaa-Akanbi area of the Kwara capital, allegedly abducted the complainant (names withheld) from her husband’s house.
According to him, the accused collected N1.18 million from her with a promise to assist her spiritually to overcome her marital problems.
Ologbonsaye said the complainant had told the accused that she and her children were often subjected to physical assault by the husband resulting in injuries.
“The complainant, in her testimony, told the court that in trying to find solutions to the problems, someone took her to the pastor (the accused) for spiritual help.
“The pastor allegedly gave her some charms (juju) to rub in her private part, but as a Christian she said she refused to use it.
“But on the third day, the pastor invited her for prayer in his house and told her he had found solutions to her problems.
“But he deceitfully used the charms to rub his own sexual organ and had a sexual intercourse with her.
“Since then, the accused abducted and started controlling her using the power of the juju,” he said.
Ologbonsaye had objected to the bail application of the accused.
The prosecutor noted that the offences contravened Sections 218, 273, 292, 312 and 389 of the Penal Code and the Advance Fee Fraud and other related Offences Act of 2006.
The case was adjourned till 30 March for mention.
