Police arraign two for possessing human head in Ibadan

The police in Ibadan yesterday arraigned two men, Mustapha Bello, 32, and Oladele Damilare, 25, before the Iyaganku Chief Magistrate’s Court for alleged unlawful possession of a human head and interfering with the dead.

The prosecutor, Inspector Femi Oluwadare, told the court that the defendants, on August 12, allegedly had in their possession the human head of one late Suliyat Olasunkanmi, 36, which they dug from her grave without lawful justification. He alleged that the defendants improperly and indecently exhumed the corpse of Suliyat Olasunkanmi and cut off her head and hands.

“It was the carpenter, Olasunkami, who works around the area where the corpse was buried, and they went back to cut off her head and hands the next day,” the prosecutor told the court.

He said the offences contravened Sections 242 (1) (b), 329 A and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.

Upon conviction, the defendants were liable to two years in prison for indecently interfering with the dead and five years for possession of a human head. The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Chief Magistrate M. Mudashiru admitted the defendants to N200,000 bail each, with two sureties each in like sum. Mudashiru said one of the sureties must be a blood relation, while the other surety must have N5 million balance in his/her bank account. He, thereafter, adjourned the matter to October 21 for a hearing.