Tenant imprisoned for allegedly hypnotising landlady over unpaid rent in Lagos

A tenant, Muritala Bankole, has been remanded in prison for allegedly charming his landlady in order to skip payment of house rents which was owed for some years, and to also hijack the ownership of the house.

The landlady, Olapade Afusat, whose house is situated at Magaji Street, Abaranje Ikotun, where the incident happened, had reported at the Ikotun Division that Bankole, in an attempt to escape without payment, sprinkled a black substance suspected to be a charm at the compound premises to get Afusat hypnotised.

The complainant also disclosed that the tenant was caught with a mixture of what appeared like salt and water alongside other items, chanting the name of the former as he moved around the house at midnight hours.

Afusat said that the substance prevented her from further making demand of her rent, with sources disclosing to her that Bankole was on the brink of taking over the house from her.

While being interrogated for the reason of his action by the police, Bankole purportedly couldn’t give satisfactory response, as the landlady was said to have insisted that it was a ploy to skip rent payment and take over her house which she inherited from her parents.

The police consequently charged Bankole before an Ejigbo Magistrate’s court for conduct likely to cause breach of public peace.

He pleaded not guilty.

The prosecutor, Supol Kenneth Asibor, did not oppose his bail application, but asked the court for a short adjournment for trial.

Thus, the presiding magistrate, Teslimi Shomade, granted Bankole bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties in like sum.

He was remanded in prison custody pending when he is able to perfect the bail condition.

The matter was adjourned till 21st November, 2018.