Police have arraigned five persons who trespassed into a burial ground before an Ilorin Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly being in possession of human parts. The accused were said to have trespassed into a burial ground belonging to Idofin Aiyekale community where they exhumed human skulls and bones.
The accused are Olarenwaju Adewoye, 40, of Oju-Oluwa Compound; Oluwasegun Rapheal, 37 of Oke-Mokopo Compound; Oluwasegun Joseph, 25 of Amuroro Compound; Fatoyinbo Augustine, 35 and Kunle Ajamu, 50 all of Idofin Aiyekale in Oke-Ero local government area of Kwara State.
The accused were arraigned on a four-count charge of criminal conspiracy, criminal trespass into place of burial, mischief and unlawful possession of human parts, which contradict Sections 97, 213, 327 and 219 of Penal Code Law.
Trouble began for the accused following a complaint on June 4, 2018 at the Divisional Police Headquarters, Oke-Ero, Kwara State by one Owolabi Isaiah of Idofin Aiyekale that the accused and others at large damaged the community’s burial ground.
According to the complainant, he received information that the accused criminally conspired with others now at large and trespassed into a burial ground in Idofin Aiyekale belonging to the community and fell several trees on the graves.
He stated further that the accused thereby damaged the graves and subsequently exhumed some human bones from the burial ground.
The complainant added that a search conducted in a house owned by a church close to the burial ground where the accused were worshipping led to the recovery of a skull and some bones suspected to be human parts.
Police First Information Report (FIR) stated that investigation conducted at the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Ilorin revealed that the accused with others now at large were the one who trespassed into the burial ground, while cleaning the surroundings of the church where they worship.
The FIR added that the accused fell some trees but denied exhuming any skull and bones suspected to be human parts from the burial ground. The prosecutor, Issac Yakubu, objected bail of the accused and urged the court to remand them in prison custody pending the outcome of investigation.
The defence counsel, Ayo Ajomole, prayed the court to admit the accused to bail pending the outcome of investigation. He said the accused would not jump bail and would provide reliable surety. In his ruling, Chief Magistrate J.B Salihu upheld the submission of the defence and released the accused on bail each at the sum of N200,000 and two sureties in like sum.
The court adjourned the case to July 3 for further mention.