Police arrest ritualists in Ondo

Posted by admin Nigerian Police, Ondo, State News Sunday, September 25th, 2011

The Police in Ondo State have arrested three suspected ritualists including a herbalist over the death of a pregnant woman Mrs. Adesola Eleso. Her husband, Ebenezer Eleso, is alleged to have collaborated with the ritualists.

Eleso, an electronic repairer, his girlfriend, and the herbalist were apprehended by the police after they discovered that his late wife did not die in a fire outbreak that burnt his room as he had claimed.

It was learnt that Ebenezer, his girlfriend and the herbalist conspired to murder the pregnant woman, removed her two eyes, and foetus before setting their (the Elesos) one-room apartment on fire.

They succeeded in their act until an investigation by the police revealed that the suspects burnt the room at the Similoluwa Estate in Aule in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

To cover their deeds, the suspects hurriedly buried the deceased, a mother of two boys, after informing her extended family members that she had died during a fire that razed their room, but police after suspecting a foul play, exhumed the corpse.

It was after this that the police discovered that the deceased was a victim of ritual killing.

Our correspondent learnt that it was the family of the deceased that insisted that her corpse be exhumed after the husband claimed fire burnt their room as a result of electric spark.

Their discovery, according to sources, showed that the stomach of the deceased was ripped open and the foetus removed.

It was also discovered that other vital parts of her body, including her private part and breasts were missing.

According to police sources, her two eyes were filled with kolanuts and leaves in her hands.

The suspects are being detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department in Akure.

A police source said the investigators discovered that the woman was buried naked and had several cuts over her body, which confirmed the ritual killing suspicion.

Confirming the arrests, the Police Public Relation Officer, Mr Adeniran Aremu, said the suspects would soon appear in court.

Aremu said the fire incident theory was false because the deceased had some machetes cut all over her body when her corpse was exhumed.

-Punchwp_posts