DOMESTIC SERVANTS: The new targets of Fake Prophets in Nigeria
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The Chief Magistrate court of Lagos State sitting in Surulere, Lagos today adjourned the criminal trial of a young housemaid, Miss Idara Archibong to 18th July 2018 for her defence in a case of conspiracy to steal and stealing brought against her by the Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State Command.

As it would be recalled, Idara Archibong was arraigned by the Police before Chief Magistrate O.I Adelaja in May 2017 on a two-counts charge of conspiracy to steal and stealing of her employer's hard currencies and gold jewelries valued at over 15 million naira. Following her arraignment, she was remanded in Kirikiri female prison owing to her inability to meet the bail terms and conditions.

The case of her employer, Ms. Muriel Cuturi who is a native of Akwa-Ibom state but lives at Lekki- Phase 1, Lagos is that her housemaid, Miss Idara on 27th April 2017 at about 12 noon came into her bedroom where she was and confessed to her that two days earlier when she was in the market on errand for her, a man approached her and started talking to her. She said the man described her (Ms Muriel), where she lives and informed her that her life is in danger. The man further told her that she (Ms Muriel) has a wardrobe in her room where she keeps her gold jewelries and money and that those items must be 'prayed' on to avert a looming disaster in her household. Following these 'prophetic revelations', the housemaid proceeded to cart away all her gold jewelries and hard currencies and handed everything to the fake prophets. Following these confessions by her housemaid, She(Ms Muriel) reported the case at Maroko police station from where the case was transferred to State Criminal Division, Panti, Yaba, Lagos.

During trial, the Investigating Police Officer, Inspector Okpoi Kingsley told the court that the housemaid was charmed by some fake prophets at Falomo market where she went to buy foodstuffs and was taken in the fake prophets' vehicle back to Ms Muriel Cuturi's house after giving the housemaid instructions on where her employer's gold and hard currencies were.

The Police Witness further told the court that the housemaid collected those items and handed everything over to the fake prophets who zoomed off leaving the housemaid in a state of trance. The Police witness also told the court that it was after the charm has cleared off the eyes of the housemaid two days thereafter that she came back to her senses and reported herself to her boss who then reported the matter to the Police.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs O.I Adelaja has adjourned the case for the defendant to open her defence or file a no-case submission as informed by her counsel, Lawrence C. Nnoli