Herbalist docked over alleged possession of human heads, hands

The police on Thursday arraigned a herbalist, Abideen Raheem, 35, charged with unlawful possession of human heads and two pairs of hands.

Raheem, a resident of Musfala in Ogbere area of Ibadan, is facing a two-count charge of unlawful possession of human head and misconduct with regards to corpse before an Ibadan Magistrates’ Court sitting at Iyaganku.

The prosecutor, Cpl. Femi Omilana, told the court that the accused committed the offence on Sept. 17 at 1.00 p.m., at Ogbere Muslim Cemetery, Ibadan.

Omilana said that the herbalist was caught with two human heads and two pairs of human hands.

He said that the human parts were later discovered to have been severed from corpses exhumed from their graves.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened sections 329 (A) and 242 (2) of the Criminal Code Cap. 38 Vol.11 Laws of Oyo State, 2000.

Section 329 (A) provides that any person in possession of a human head or skull is liable if convicted to five years imprisonment.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Magistrate, Mr Mohammed Mudashiru, admitted Raheem to bail in the sum of N100, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

Mudashiru said that sureties must be the traditional ruler and Chief Imam of Musfala and must produce evidence of tax payment in the past three years as well as submit two passport photographs.

The magistrate adjourned the case till Oct. 30. (NAN)