An Ogun State-based herbalist, Owolabi Mesioye and his friend identified simply as Oloruntoyin have been arrested after they allegedly killed an unnamed man for human sacrifice.
The offence was committed at about 10 pm on March 28, 2019 at Alaako-Ijeun Egboro area of Abeokuta, the state capital. Vital organs of the victim were removed.
According to sources, Oloruntoyin allegedly lured the unidentified victim to his home near Mesioye’s residence at night, and then beckoned to the herbalist that he had brought the sacrificial man for the propitiation they earlier discussed.
The duo lured the victim to the back of Oloruntoyin’s residence, where they allegedly hit him with a charm that made him unconscious.
Neighbours who saw Oloruntoyin when he brought the undientified man home were said to have become suspicious when they did not see him man again.
The worried neighbours then launched a search for the missing man for two days before they found his mutilated body floating on a fish pond at the back of Oloruntoyin’s house on Thursday March 28, 2019.
The matter was reported at the Ibara Police Division, but men of the station could not visit the scene until the following day.
It was learnt that Mesioye who was to celebrate his annual Ifa festival on March 30 had denied his complicity in the human sacrifice scandal. He was said to have accused residents of the area of being hostile to him and trying to frame him up for what he knew nothing about.
Residents said they had warned the embattled herbalist several times to desist from placing sacrifices at major junctions in the community to no avail.
‘’The herbalist had been warned several times to desist from placing sacrifices at junctions in the community. He was summoned to a meeting by the community leaders but he did not honour the invitation. Same with Oloruntoyin, who also has not been attending landlords’ meetings,’’ said a source.
Police spokesman, Mr Abimbola Oyeyemi said the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, Abeokuta, where the suspects are currently detained.