Crime & Punishment of Friday, 21 November 2014

Source: Daily Guide

Fake female magician arrested for defrauding mallam

A 34-year-old Nigerian woman from Kano, who claims to be a magician, has been arrested for allegedly defrauding a Malian of various sums of money.

The suspect, Hajia Asiya Lawal, purportedly collect­ed GH?2,200 and 100,000 CFA from the victim after which she handed a bag full of sand to him and bolted.

She was apprehended after a case of fraud was lodged against her by the victim at the Tesano Police Sta­tion.

Confirming the arrest to Daily Guide, Chief Super­intendent Lydia Donkor said the complainant, Ibrahim Mohammed - a trader in Ghana - said he received a call from Hajia Asiya Lawal on the telephone introducing herself as a magician.

The complainant narrated that the suspect told him that she had had a vision about him (complainant), revealing that he would be a very rich man in future.

She said the complainant performed some rituals saying she was making the revelation come to pass.

Hajia Asiya therefore initially demanded GH$1,000 and 100,000.00 CFA Francs from the victim for the said rituals to be performed.

On November 10, 2014, Chief Superintendent Lydia Donkor disclosed, Ibrahim Mohammed met the suspect at Abofu near Achimota, with the money, but the sus­pect again demanded an amount of GH?,200 from him (Mohammed) to buy ram and other items for the rituals.

After collecting the money, Hajia gave Ibrahim Mohammed a big bag and asked him not to open it until the third day.

While carrying the bag home, Mohammed felt some­thing like sand stuffed in the bag and out of curiosity, opened it.

To his surprise, the bag was full of sand.

Sensing that he had been defrauded, Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed reported the matter to the police and led them to arrest Hajia Asiya Lawal on November 19,2014 at Nima.

When a search was conducted in suspect's vehicle, an amount of $50,000 fake dollars and a bag full of sawdust were recovered.

She is in custody assisting in investigations.