An Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court Monday remanded a prophet and prophetess in Kirikiri Medium and Female Prisons respectively for allegedly forcing a 16-year-old domestic staff (name withheld) to swallow an iron cross for spiritual cleansing.

The defendants, Kehinde Salami, 25, and Yetunde Akinola, 42, of No 20 Adeyemi Street, Ifako-Ijaiye, Agege are facing a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, breach of peace, false pretences and attempted murder before Chief Magistrate, Mrs T.A. Ojo.

Prosecuting Sergeant Kenrich Nomayo told the court the defendants committed the offence on March 24 at about 4 p.m., at their Ifako-Ijaye residence.

Nomayo told the court that Salami and Akinola allegedly attempted to kill their victim by forcing her to swallow an iron cross against her wish.

Nomayo alleged that the defendants conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace when they claimed to see a vision in which the complainant was alleged to be a witch.

He claimed that the defendants gave the complainant an iron cross to swallow on the pretext that they were delivering her from witchcraft, a representation, he said, they knew to be false.

He further informed the court that the state of the health of the complainant was not known as she was reportedly said to be receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.

Chief Magistrate, Mrs Ojo, ordered that they be remanded in Kirikiri Prison, pending the fulfillment of their bail conditions.

Ojo granted them bail in the sum of N200, 000 each.

She also ordered that the case file be duplicated and sent to the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP), for advice.

She adjourned the case till April 30.

•Sourced from The Nation report

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