By Gabriel Elozino
A suspected ritualist who pretended to be a mad man has been burnt alive by angry mob in Ughelli, Ughelli North Local Government area of Delta State.
The Trumpet reports that the incident took place on Thursday afternoon.
The suspect, it was learnt drew the suspicion of the mob after he was cited with an expensive Android phone among a crowd of persons, who have gone to patronize a merchant that deals on all kinds of second hand items at the front of Otovwodo Primary School
An eyewitness said that surprised by what they have seen, some persons tried to approach the alleged ritualist, who on seeing that he had been noticed, quickly pulled out the SIM card in the phone, swallowed it and took to his heels.
Luck, however, ran against him as the angry mob chased, caught and eventually set him ablaze.
“Everybody was surprised, how can a mad man be using such expensive Android phone? At first people thought he might have stolen the phone from somebody among the crowd, but when he started running and swallowed the SIM card, it became clear that he was not a mad man.
“He was caught and they began to beat him to get information from him. However, in the process of beating him, some persons came and said that this same mad man was arrested about two weeks ago by the policemen and was taken to the Ughelli Police station after he performed the same act of swallowing a SIM card when he was caught discussing on the phone with someone about selling body parts.
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“On hearing that he was arrested and released, the mob got angry and set him ablaze immediately to avoid the police or any security agency from rescuing him,” the eyewitness said.
Corroborating what the first witness said, another eyewitness, a tricycle operator who crave anonymity said, “I was arrested with this same boy two weeks ago. We were taken to Ughelli “A” division. When we got to the station, they discovered, from bank messages on the phone that he was having over N12million on his bank account.
“I was released few hours later because mine was license issue. So I did not know what happened next. I was surprised to see this same mad man few days later still pretending to be mad.”
Another witness alleged that the suspected ritualist after being arrested by the police was returned to the palace of the Ovie of Ughelli (traditional ruler) where he was allegedly released after paying an alleged sum of N500,000 to the police.
“That day he was arrested to the police station, but was later brought to be palace, although I don’t know why, but when they brought him to the palace some persons said they should burn him. Instead of burning him, they later let him go after paying N500,000.
“That issue was one of many alleged unprofessional misconduct involving the Divisional Police Officer of Ughelli “A” Division, Ibok asaenyi. People said he has a strong relationship with the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who they said allegedly influenced his posting and continuous stay in Ughelli,” the witness alleged.
Recalled that few months ago, the DPO Ibok Asaenyi was allegedly queried by the State Command after he allegedly collected money from the management of a five star hotel in Ughelli metropolis to cover up a death case involving a guest without reporting same to the State Command.
When contacted, the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe said he was not aware of the incident.
“I am not aware, give me some time to find out and I will get back to you,” he said.
