The Kwara State Police Command has arrested a herbalist, Akeem Adeniyi, for allegedly abducting his girlfriends, identified simply as Bose and Busayo, with a view to using them for money ritual.
It was gathered that Adeniyi connived with two other suspects ─ Biodun Yusuf and one Raphael, who is still on the run ─ to abduct the victims.
PUNCH Metro learnt that two of the suspects were apprehended after the residents of the Alla-Isin area of Kwara State heard somebody screaming for help in Alla Grammar School at about 11pm on March 11 and rushed to the scene.
It was said that the residents could not find the victim on getting to the scene, but saw a Sienna Space Wagon bus believed to be the property of the people that attracted the residents.
Adeniyi reportedly told them that Busayo was her girlfriend and he was only trying to forcefully have Se.x with her when she screamed. He was said to have initially declined to reveal her whereabouts.
Police said Adeniyi and his friends were also responsible for the abduction of Bose, who was declared missing on March 19 by her father.
The herbalist, who claimed the second victim was also his girlfriend, reportedly led security operatives to their hideout, where Busayo and Bose were rescued alive.
Our correspondent learnt that the suspects were transferred from Oke-Onigbin Police Division to the Criminal Investigation and intelligence Department in Ilorin for proper investigation.
They were on Wednesday, arraigned before Mr. A.I. Babatunde of the Ilorin Magistrate’s Court for criminal conspiracy, kidnapping and homicide.
The offences, according to the prosecutor, Inspector David Wodi, contravene sections 97 and 274 of the Penal Code.
The charges read in part, “That on March 13, 2015, one Samuel Aboyeji of Baale Compound, Alla-Isin, reported at Oke-Onigbin division that on March 11, at about 11pm, they received information that somebody was screaming for help in Alla Grammar School and they mobilised themselves to the scene where they met one Akeem Adeniyi and one Biodun Yusuf with one Sienna Space Wagon bus and when they asked about the victim, Adeniyi stated that she, Busayo, was his girlfriend and she screamed when he attempted To Molest her.
“On March 19, one Gabriel Neneher also reported that on March 11, his daughter, Bose, also Adeniyi’s girlfriend, is missing.
“Police investigation revealed that you, Adeniyi, a herbalist, criminally conspired with one Biodun Yusuf and one Raphael, now at large, and kidnapped Busayo and Bose to unknown destination for money ritual.”
Wodi prayed the court to remand the defendants in custody pending the completion of police investigation.
The defence counsel, A.I. Telim, however, urged the court to grant bail to his clients, relying on Section 36 (5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, which presumed defendants innocent untill proven guilty.
Babatunde, who did not take the plea of the defendants, ordered that they be remanded in prison custody while the investigation continued.