How motorcyclist stole community oracle

...strangles 90-year-old custodian to death

TRAGEDY struck in Irese community, lfedore Local Government Area of Ondo State, as a commercial motorcyclist, allegedly strangled a 90-year-old, Ajayi Ajisegiri to death in a desperate bid to steal the community’s oracle.

Consequently, two suspects, Dada Ologundudu, 71 years and John Samson, 27 years, have been arrested by police detectives.

It was gathered that the deceased was a chief, oracle custodian and also the head of hunters in the community. His death at Oke Mission had thrown the entire community into grief and confusion.

Vanguard gathered that the suspect after commiting the deadly act, was arrested by the residents of the community while attempting to flee. 

A source from the area said: “The lifeless body of the Ajisegiri was found in his room, a day after he threatened to report the suspect to the whole community for stealing the community’s spiritual property, ‘Osho Osi Ode,’ which was kept in the deceased’s custody.”

Speaking on the incident, the suspect’s landlady, Mrs. Beatrice Ademeti, said the deceased came to her house a day before, informing the suspect to return the community oracle he took from his house or he would report him to the entire community. Ademeti said the suspect claimed to be a herbalist.

According to her, the suspect became close to the deceased and because he claimed to be an herbalist, the deceased ignorantly told him everything the oracle was being used for.

She said: “The motorcyclist cannot say he’s not responsible for the death of Ajisegiri, because on the night of the incident, I overheard the deceased shouting at the suspect, saying he gave him a day to return the community’s property he took in his room or else he would report the case to the whole town the next day.

“The suspect later came back at night to give baba three sachet of alcoholic drink, which made the deceased slept off.

“The next day around 8a.m., I noticed the deceased has not opened his door, which was unusual of him.

“I called other neighbours around and I explained to them that the deceased had not opened his door since morning, which made them forced his door open.

“To our surprise, we found his lifeless body on the floor in his room with bruises and blood on his neck.”

Police source said the assailant gained entry through the window and strangled the victim.

It was gathered that the suspect was prevented from escaping after the death of the oracle custodian and was taken to the palace of the town’s monarch.

The suspect was later handed over to police detectives at the Ijare Police Station.

The suspect initially denied stealing the oracle and killing the victim but he later recanted after he was threatened by the community leaders.

He reportedly confessed to be in possession of the community’s oracle and told the community leaders where he hide the oracle after which it was retrieved with the help of the police detectives and was taken back to the community shine.

The oracle was found in an uncompleted building, where the suspect kept it.

Police source said the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, SCIID, Akure, for further investigation.

Culled from Vanguard