Pastor, Herbalist Nabbed For Fraud, Rape In Cross River
A Sierra Leon-based Nigerian pastor, Mr. Hossana Okoi, and a native doctor, Omini Kokei Joseph, were among 25 crime suspects paraded by Cross River Police Command in Calabar for kidnapping, robbery, rape and sundry crimes in the state
Speaking with newsmen Thursday, Pastor Okoi, who pastors Gate of Testimony Ministry in Sierra Leone, denied any involvement in such a crime, but admitted knowing the native doctor, who allegedly defrauded a lady, Gift Nwogu, of N430,000 in the guise of preparing medication for her and allegedly raped her.
According to the native doctor, Mr. Omini Joseph, he agreed with Gift to prepare medicine to treat her of a protracted infection and also admitted that she threatened the lady to pay him his balance.
His words: “I know the lady in question, but I did not rape her. I only collected money, which I charged, to treat her of an infection which we agreed was to be N170,000. I also threatened her when she refused to pay me my balance, before I was arrested by the Police.”
The Commissioner of Police, Cross River State, Mr. Austin Agbonlahor, said they were ready and have strategized to stamp out criminals in the state, while soliciting support of traditional rulers to join hands in the fight.
He said: “We shall stop at nothing in ridding the state of criminals. I want to equivocally state that the command has assiduously strategised an onslaught on these criminals across the state and we will never renege on this no matter whose ox is gored.
Among those paraded were nine for robbery; 10, cultism; five, sundry fraud; one for possession of firearm, while N409,500 cash was recovered as well as ammunition and cartridges.
