Police arrest man for killing sexagenarian over alleged witchcraft

Etim Ekpimah

Police in Ogun State have arrested a 23-year-old man, Dansu Asogba for allegedly killing his 60 years old aunty, Iyabo Dansu.

The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the suspect was arrested following a report by two children of the deceased at at Ipokia Divisional headquarters.

According to him, the deceased children stated that they received information on the August 22 regarding the demise of their mother, who was suffering from any illness.

The children added that since they did not suspect any foul play, they decided to bury her without necessarily the case reporting to the police.

Oyeyemi said that immediately after the burial, the children heard that the suspect, who is a nephew to the deceased, was seen in her house on that fateful day, and shortly after he left, the woman was declared dead.

He said, “This rouse the suspicion of the people of the community and they threatened to carry out a traditional ritual, which will expose the killer.

“On hearing about the intention of the community to go spiritual to unravel the killer of the sexagenarian, the suspect, Asogba, came out and confessed to be responsible for the woman’s death.

“Upon his confession, the DPO Ipokia Division, SP Adebayo Hakeem detailed his detectives to the scene where the suspect was promptly arrested.

 “On interrogation, he admitted killing the deceased, but claimed that he did so because of his belief that the deceased was responsible for the death of his first child and the subsequent miscarriages his wife has had.

“He confessed further that it was an iron rod he used to hit the woman on the neck which resulted in her death.”

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Edward Awolowo Ajogun, has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspect to homicide section of the state criminal investigation and intelligence department for further investigation and prosecution.

The CP, who  expressed concern over the ignorance and primitive belief of some people, warned that anybody, who for any reason takes law into their hands will have themselves to blame as the command will not tolerate such ignorant behaviour at this jet age.

Ajogun urged members of the public to always report any of their grievances to law enforcement agencies, who will thoroughly investigate such complaint.