Ritual killing: Court remands health worker, three others for allegedly dismembering hunchback man in Benue
A Magistrates’ Court in Makurdi, Benue State, has ordered that four men be remanded for allegedly dismembering a hunchback man.
The police charged Christopher Shimayina, a staff of Health Department, Gwer West Local Government, Mathew Nono, Henry Bee and Vincent Shayenge, with criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, culpable homicide and illegal possession of firearms.
Magistrate Kadoom Gbasha did not take the plea of Nono, Bee, Shayenge and Shimaya for want in jurisdiction.
Gbasha ordered that they should be remanded in the Federal Maximum Correctional Centre Makurdi. She adjourned the case until May 25, 2023, for further mention.
Earlier, the Police Prosecutor, Insp Joshua Anyuabagu told the court that the case was transferred from the Naka Divisional Headquarters to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Makurdi via a letter No. AR:3100/ BNS/NK/VOL.1/220 dated 31st March.
Anyuabagu said on March 21, a team of detectives from Naka Police Station led by Insp Suleiman Mumini while on surveillance patrol at the Naka earth Dam, sighted a black sack by the banks of the dam.
He said when the detectives brought the sack out of the water, they discovered a dismembered corpse of a hunchback.
He said the deceased/victim was later identified by his older brother, John Ababa, as Msuega Ababa of Tse-Akaa Vengav, Avihijime Council Ward of Gwer West LGA.
Anyuabagu further said that the cell phone of the deceased was recovered from Bee and he took the investigators to the house of Shimayina, who is a staff of the Primary Health Care Naka, where the deceased was killed.
He also said two white candles, two small white eggs, two white handkerchiefs, a locally made pistol and three rounds of live ammunition were recovered from Shimayina.
He said the offence contravenes the provisions of sections 97 and 222 of Penal code law of Benue State 2004, Section 11(2) of Abduction, Hostage Taking, Kidnapping, Secret Cut and Similar Prohibition Law of Benue State 2017 and Section 3(1) of the Robbery and Fire Arms Special Provision Act, 2004.
He said investigation into the matter was still ongoing and requested for additional time to complete it.
