Islamic Cleric Remanded in Prison for Murder

For the murder of an unemployed graduate who was on a job hunt in Lagos, Nigeria, a Magistrate Court sitting in Ebute-Metta, Lagos, has remanded an Islamic Cleric identified as Rafiu Sado in prison custody.  The same Cleric is being accused by the Police of killing another person, one Kosoko, and cutting off his head for ritual purposes.

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The suspected killer of an unemployed graduate, Rafiu Sado, 40, has been arraigned before an Ebute-Metta Magistrate’s Court sitting in Lagos, on a five-count charge of unlawful killing, felony to wit murder and unlawful possession of human skull.

Rafiu Sado, a native of Oyan in Osun State, who claimed to be an Islamic cleric, Alfa and one other person said to be at large were alleged to have killed the late Michael Adigun, a graduate of Universal College of Technology, Ile-Ife, Osun State.

The deceased, Michael Adigun, was murdered and his two palms chopped off about three weeks ago, in Surulere Local Government Area of the state.  Police alleged that the suspect had on 8 September, 2011, at about midnight, along Bode Thomas Road, Surulere, killed the victim and chopped off his two palms.

The Cleric reportedly killed another person identified as Kosoko and cut off his head for ritual purposes.  When the police conducted a search, the skull of the late Kosoko was found in his (the Cleric's) apartment at Orile-Iganmu.

Inspector Sam Omoyeni, the Prosecuting Police Officer, told the court that the offences are punishable under Sections 324, 319(1), 324, 319(1) and 329A of the Criminal Code Cap. C. 17, Vol. 11, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003.

The suspect pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him. But the court did not take his plea. Presiding Senior Magistrate, Mrs. M. O. Olajuwon, ordered that he be remanded in prison custody and the case file be duplicated and sent to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, for advice.

The late Michael Adigun, an unemployed graduate, was said to have left his brother’s house at 55, Sanni Balogun, Abule-Egba, Lagos, on 8 September, 2011, for Apapa to look for a job when he fell into the hands of the suspected ritualists who allegedly killed him and cut off his two palms... The matter has been adjourned till 16 November, 2011.

Additional report by PMNews.