Alhaji Afeez Imoleayo, the Lagos-based cleric, who was arrested for allegedly charming his US-based friend and stealing N105 million, has revealed what he learnt from a herbalist.
The suspect allegedly abducted the wife of his US-based friend and her children for 13 years.
The cleric popularly called Alfa Imoleayo, was alleged to have hypnotised the US-based Nigerian and compelled wife of the victim to change her name and her children’s names to his.
Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone-2, Mr Ali Mohammed, paraded the suspect alongside five other accomplices identified as Ramon Uthman, Saidi Ajayi, Alhaja Monsurat Salami and Kikelomo.
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According to Mohammed, a complaint was lodged by the Nigerian identified with the police on July 17, 2023, leading to the arrest of the cleric and his wife.
But, in a chat with newsmen, Alfa Imoleayo described the allegation as false.
“I lived with the Animasaun in the same building in Ikorodu. He used to assist me whenever we were having any Islamic crusade. He at various times donated to the success of the crusade.
“But at the end of the day, the Police came to my house to conduct a search but found nothing. They said he alleged I defrauded him but I did not.
“The herbalist they said I worked with does not have anything to do with this. The last time I saw the herbalist was seven or eight years ago. He was the one that taught me how to treat people with herbs.”
On why the complainant, his wife and children changed their names to his, he replied: “He did it on his own. He did not only change his surname from Animasaun to Uthman Imoleayo, he also changed his wife’s and children’s names to mine and when I asked why he did it, he said he wanted it that way.”
According to the AIG, the suspects would be charged in court at the end of the investigation.