The police in Lagos, South-West Nigeria, has cleared a Prophet Adewoye Iranloye of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church of infidelity, saying he did not engage in sexual relations with his accuser, Latifat Balogun.

Iranloye’s reputation had become tarnished after nude photos of him in a compromising position with Latifat surfaced online. His protests of innocence fell on deaf ears.

However, the Police Report on the incident signed by the Divisional Police Officer, Idimu Division of the Nigeria Police in Lagos State, SP Omeke E. Ochuko, has vindicated the cleric by disclosing that the photographs were taken under duress.

Ochuko said the men who took the photographs, threatened to kill Iranloye if he did not take off his clothes and that they eventually forced him to.

The report said after the photographs were taken, the woman in question, Latifat Balogun, and the four other men who pounced on Iranloye, demanded for N25 million for them not to publish the photographs in the media.

The report, dated February 18, 2014, said the suspects, two of whom had been arrested with three on the run, had collected N2,150,000 before Iranloye approached the police for help.

The report, addressed to The Senior District Secretary, The Holy Order of Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church, Idimu Sub-Headquarters, Idimu District, Lagos, is entitled ‘Interim Police Investigation Report: RE: CASE OF CONSPIRACY, OBTAINING MONEY BY FALSE PRETENCES AND STEALING’. It reads as follows:

“I refer to your letter dated 12th February requesting for Police report of the above underlined subject matter and subjoin hereunder, the request as follows:

“On 24/1/2014 about 1320hrs, one Prophet Adewoye Iranloye ‘m’ of 20/22 Egbeda-Idimu Road, came to the station and reported that sometimes in the month of November, 2013 one Latifat Balogun ‘f’ popularly called Alhaja who intermittently attends service in his church, Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Pipeline Idimu called him on phone that she had been down with an ailment and that she needed him to offer prayer for her quick recovery. As a result, she gave direction of her residence at Ipaja area where he headed to for the mission.

“The complainant stated further that on getting to the said Latifat Balogun’s house, four unknown men emerged and threatened to eliminate him if he does not succumb to their demand of taking his photograph while naked as though he was caught having a love affair with the host. “Subsequently, he was overpowered, forced to remove his wearing apparel and several shots of his photograph were taken after which he was asked to dress up and a demand for the sum of N25,000,000.00 (Twenty five million naira) was made by them or the picture will be publish (sic) in different news media adding that a total sum of N2,150,000.00 (Two million one hundred and fifty thousand naira) had so far been taken from him by the group.

“On the strength of the report, the case was incidented and referred for investigation. Statement was obtained from the complainants well as one Latifu Showole ‘m’ his personal driver that drove him to locate the supposed sick lady’s residence. Machineries were immediately put in place with a view to arresting the suspects as well as recovering the obscene photographs and the money allegedly obtained.

“In the course of the investigation, two of the suspects namely: Latifat Balogun ‘f’ of no 11 Shagari Estate Ipaja and Makanjuola Ologoja ‘m’ of No 8 Ayibaogun Close, Mosan, Ipaja were arrested in the evening of 24/1/2014 at the church premises when they came to collect another purported sum of N500,000.00 (Five hundred thousand naira) used as a bait. Their statements were taken and they confessed to the crime, saying it was a pre-arranged deal in order to obtain the alleged sun from the complainant. They added that so far, the sum of N2,150,000.00 (Two million one hundred and fifty thousand naira) had been obtained from the complainant which they shared among themselves including three others who are still at large. Two sets of the picture of the complainant’s image in nakedness, one CD plate and the sum of N200,000.00 (Two hundred thousand naira) were later recovered from the arrested suspects.

“While effort is ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects, the arrested duo of Latifat Balogun and Makanjuola Ologunja were arraigned in Magistrate Court 1, Ejigbo on 31/1/2014 under charge number MM/E/7/2014 for conspiracy, unlawful assault, threatening violence, obtaining money by false pretence and stealing where it is currently pending, please.

“Signed by SP Omeke E. Ochuko, the Divisional Police Officer, The Nigeria Police, Idimu-Lagos on February 18, 2014.”

•Photo shows Lagos State Police Commissioner, Alhaji Umar Manko.

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