BY MIKE OSAROGIAGBON
Thirty nine year-old man has been arrested with a decomposing head of his bosom friend, having vandalized his grave for suspected ritual purposes.
The suspect, Odiase Uyi had on Saturday, July 13, 2019 sneaked into his friend’s uncompleted building, where he was buried, exhumed his corpse and heartlessly detached his decomposing head.
He had taken the head in a bucket to be sold to a native doctor for N200, 000.00, when he was apprehended by vigilant group in Uwusan Community in Ikpoba-Okha local government area of Edo State. The suspect and his exhibit were thereafter handed over to the police.
The deceased Mr Friday Ewemade, aka Ikpiha, 42, father of two, was said to have died under questionable circumstances on Monday, January 21, 2019.
He was buried in his yet-to-be completed three-bedroom flat at his home town, Uwusan Community on Tuesday, February 5, 2019.
The suspect Odiase Uyi was said to have joined two others to dig the grave and laid him to rest as a way of paying last respect to a departed childhood friend and kinsman.
Narrating how he committed the horrible act at night, Odiase Uyi said though he acted alone, a native doctor commanded him to bring a human head.
“My native doctor friend Dr Arthur Idemudia also known as Eyen-Ason asked me to get a human head for him.
“He agreed to pay me N200, 000.00. Immediately he said it, I took shovel, bucket and torchlight to my friend’s grave and I took his head away.
“But as I was going about 5am, some men stopped me. Ikpiha was my friend, my community friend. I do not know what came over me. I am begging for forgiveness”. The suspect pleaded.
The traditional ruler of Uwusan dukedom, HRH Ogiesoba Igbinoba while describing the act as a strange abomination, commended the vigilant group and the ancestors of Uwusan land for exposing the evil.
He however promised to consult with relevant traditional authorities on the way forward as both the family of the deceased and suspect were his subjects.
The deceased’s elder brother, wife and cousin Mr Tony Ewemade, Mrs Loveth Ewemade and Kingsley Amayo, respectively, appealed to Edo State Government and Police to launch a discreet investigation as the suspect may had a hand in the sudden death of their brother, in the first instance.
Edo State Police Commissioner, DanMallam Mohammed confirmed the incident and directed our reporter to the Deputy Commissioner of Police incharge of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), police headquarters, Benin City, DCP Usman Yusuf.
DC Usman however revealed that investigators of the homicide section led by one inspector Acho Ornguga had visited the scene of crime as efforts were on to apprehend the fleeing native doctor.
