COURT JAILS FAKE SPIRITUALIST ONE YEAR FOR SEXTORTION IN ABUJA

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

The Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted and sentenced a fake spiritualist, Solomon Odigie Moses, to one year imprisonment for defrauding and blackmailing an Indian woman who sought spiritual assistance from him.

Justice C.N. Nwabulu handed down the sentence on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, after Moses pleaded guilty to a one-count charge bordering on cheating and impersonation.

Moses was accused of posing as a spiritual leader identified as “Dr Solomon” through a fictitious TikTok account and obtaining $1,100 from an Indian woman, Sharon Kaur, purportedly for spiritual prayers and healing.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said Moses, who was arrested in Ekpoma, Edo State, received the money through his Zelle payment platform, after which the naira equivalent was transferred into his local bank account.

The convict was also alleged to have deceived Kaur into taking a nude spiritual bath, which he recorded live without her consent.

According to the EFCC, Moses subsequently used the recording to blackmail the woman, threatening to make the video public unless she paid him money.

Investigations by the commission revealed that Kaur eventually paid $1,100 to the suspect to prevent him from releasing the video containing her nudity.

The charge against Moses stated that he fraudulently impersonated a spiritual leader through a fictitious TikTok account and obtained $1,100 from Kaur for spiritual prayer and assistance.

The offence was said to be contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990, and punishable under Section 322 of the same Act.

Following his guilty plea, EFCC prosecution counsel, Maryam Hayatudeen, urged the court to convict and sentence Moses in accordance with the law.

In his ruling, Justice Nwabulu convicted Moses and sentenced him to one year imprisonment, with an option of a N300,000 fine.

The judge also ordered that the $1,100 proceeds of crime be forfeited and returned to the victim through the EFCC.