The Nation reports that the police on Monday re-arraigned Stephanie Otobo, the woman who claimed she had an affair with Apostle Johnson Suleiman, before a Tinubu Magistrates’ Court, Lagos. Otobo, 23, was brought before Magistrate Kikelomo Bukola-Ayeye alongside Wisdom Godstime, 43, on a three-count charge of conspiracy, intent to steal, blackmail and threat to life.
The police on March 6 failed to obtain a remand order for the duo from the same court, following Magistrate Bukola-Ayeye’s ruling that there was insubstantial evidence to support the charge against them. At the commencement of Monday’s proceedings, the prosecutor, M. A. Animashaun, said the defendants and others at large committed the alleged offence on February 14, 2016 at about 10:30 a.m. at Police College, Ikeja, Lagos.
He alleged that they conspired amongst themselves to steal by demanding for property with menace and attempted to extort money. Animashaun also said that the defendants, “with intent to blackmail a man of God, unlawfully demanded the immediate payment of $1million to Otobo by Apostle Johnson Suleiman, the president and founder of Omega Fire Ministry Worldwide, else she would call a press conference and accuse him of committing adultery with her and thereafter kill him.”
The court also heard that the defendants with intent to extort money from Suleiman, accused him of committing adultery with Otobo and also promised to marry her. According to the Animashaun, the offences were punishable under sections 411, 301 and 303 of the Criminal law of Lagos State, 2015. The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Magistrate Bukola-Ayeye granted them bail in the sum of N100,000 each which they must deposit with the court’s registrar and two sureties in like sum. She adjourned the case till April 27 for trial.