32-year-old physiotherapist, Rachael Godwin, who works at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos, has shared the shocking story of how her boyfriend, a suspected Internet fraudster simply identified as Olumide, allegedly forced her to wear pants which he allegedly used for money rituals.
Punch reports that Rachael said she met with Olumide in January 2018 at one of the Bus Rapid Transit terminal leaving Ikorodu for Ikeja. They became friendly and then exchanged contacts. Shortly after, they began dating.
“I met Olumide in January 2018 on a BRT vehicle that was travelling to Ikeja from Ikorodu. I work at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, as a physiotherapist.
“We started talking and became close friends and lovers. He told me that he had gonorrhoea and I treated him. I guess he must have hypnotised me such that I really didn’t know what I was doing. I gave him my entire savings; he even lodged at a hotel at Kosofe, Ketu, for four months and I paid the bill of N185,000.
“He later took me to his father at Ikosi. They live in a very unhealthy environment, which made me to pity them and I offered to help. I rented a house for myself in November 2018 and he visited me in the house that same month.” she said
A distraught Rachael said that sometime in December 2018, Olumide visited her home and told her he intends to buy a Toyota Venza which he looked up on the internet and informed her it would cost N11.8 million. She explained that when she asked him how he would raise the money for the car, he requested that they should open a joint account for that purpose.
“I used my land documents to get a loan and even promised to gather all I had in my account. My trouble started on December 14, 2018, when he came to my house and gave me one of my pants to wear. I refused to wear the pants because I was not comfortable with the request. He called one of my neighbours, Helen, who helped him to force me to wear the pants. After I was forced to wear the pants, I lost my senses and was taken to my mother’s house.
“I was taken to Ibadan for treatment and I got better. I did not suspect him then. I kept relating with him. On December 31, 2018, I went to a church for thanksgiving. I was given some prayer points to be said at midnight.
“While I was praying sometime in January, Olumide started shouting, ‘Stop praying, they have wired the money, it is only $2,000 from Alaska in the USA.” she said
She immediately alerted the police and he was arrested.
Speaking from his detention cell, Olumide denied the allegations leveled against him by Rachael. In his confessional statement, he reportedly stated that he was shocked to discover that the $2,000 he got from the United States amounted to only N750,000. He said he gave Helen N300,000 and also gave part of the money to an unnamed man.
Confirming the arrest, the spokesperson of the state police command, CSP Chike Oti, said on the case was still being investigated at the command headquarters and that Olumide would be charged to court at the conclusion of investigation.
