My job is to defraud people looking for children, money- Fake herbalist

Akumtola

A suspected herbalist, Segun Akuntola, has told operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Ikeja, Lagos State Police Command that he specialized in defrauding people seeking for fruit of the womb and money ritual.

Police accused him of being a leader of a 4-man-gang of fraudsters, but Akuntola vehemently denied it.
The suspect, also known as Okadigbo, was apprehended by RRS operatives in his shrine at Ijora, after his alleged gang members, defrauded a lady, Joy.  The victim was heading to Mile 12, from Ikorodu, when she was duped.
The lady was defrauded at Ikorodu, a year ago. The deal was supervised by an accomplice called Christian Odokor, 43.
Akuntola, while admitting to being a fraudster, pretending to be a herb seller in parts of the metropolis, denied being the leader of the syndicate.
He said:  “It’s true they used my shrine and office. They bring their victims there but everybody operated on their own. They all assemble there but everybody managed their group.  Although, the fake dollars they use are mine but I don’t know anything about this job for which they were arrested. I operated by selling herbs but I market quick money rituals to people as well as herbs for people looking for children. I do spiritual bath for clients and that is how I defraud people and make my money.”
Preliminary revealed that Akuntola is the arrow head of several syndicates of fraudsters operating in different parts of Lagos State and some parts of Ogun State.
The members of his syndicate allegedly used to report to his shrine regularly, where their nefarious activities were always planned.
Odokor, in his confessional statement said: "We robbed Joy about a year ago. We took all she had from her, including the sum of N300, 000:00. We also took recharge cards of all networks worth N120, 000:00 Akuntola is our master whom most of us report to at least thrice in a week. All of us, about nine groups that I know report to him. We operated in different parts of the metropolis.”
Odokor continued: "Akuntola is so powerful and fiery that no police dare to arrest him. Now, I was shocked seeing him here with us in your custody.”
Another gang member, Toyin Idebi, 25, said that greed made her to join the gang two years ago.
She added:  "I was a stylist and doing well before I joined them. When I saw how they were spending money on ladies like me, then I moved closer to them to know their secret. Initially, they were reluctant to tell me their job as they just told me they were into export and import business. I pressed on till one of them asked me if I could keep a secret. He opened up and I joined them.”
She further narrated: "My main job is to act as someone who was carrying foreign currencies and doesn’t know her destination. The currencies are fake; I don’t how Akuntola got them.”
The victim, Joy, said: “It was on Wednesday afternoon, January 13^th, 2016; I was on my way to market. The lady amongst them flagged me down by calling Sabo passengers from Ikorodu garage. When I saw the lady sitting and calling for prospective passengers, I never thought otherwise. Immediately I hopped in and sat down beside her. I saw three other men inside the car.
“Suddenly as we were progressing, the lady begged me to help her with my phone to make phone calls giving excuse that she had no call card on hers. As a lady, I handed over my phone to her. She made two separate calls with my phone. As we moved a bit far more, the driver diverted to unknown destination.
“I queried the driver, but he refused to respond. Suddenly, they pulled over in the middle of the way. The driver pointed a gun at me and the lady showed me knife. She ordered me to cooperate.  They ransacked my bag and removed the whole money with the recharge cards, and then sped off.”