Three men have been arraigned before an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court over an alleged exhumation of corpses and severing their heads for ritual purposes.
The defendants are Kola Fatoye, 40, Abimbola Fatoye, 35, and Ahmed Ojo, 56.
Police prosecutor, Inspector Monica Ikebuilo on Monday informed the court that the defendants committed the offence between March and September 2020 in Orun-Ekiti.
She alleged that the defendants dug up graves and severed heads of corpses at St. Paul Anglican Church Cemetery in Orun-Ekiti.
Ikebuilo said names of the severed corpses are Pa Philip Akintayo, Madam Moreani Ajayi and eight others. She said the defendants used the severed parts of the corpses for ritual.
According to her, the offences are punishable under section 242(1) b, 210 (e) and 213(b) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.
The prosecutor urged the court to remand the defendants in the Ado Ekiti Correctional Centre pending legal advice from the office of Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
The plea of the defendants was not taken. The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Adefumike Anoma, therefore ordered the remand of the defendants at the correctional centre, pending issuance of legal advice and adjourned the case until November 6, 2020 for mention.