This story can melt a heart of stone; it is another
horror-kind occurrence that looks more like a make-believe movie than a true
life story.
Save for his open confession, many people would have
doubted the truth in the allegation made against a Lagos-based herbalist,
Alhaji Olatunji Azeez.
Those, who witnessed the confession, could not control
their emotions at the premises of the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja,
following the startling confession of the 64-year-old herbalist, on how he
buried a 68-year old retired Customs officer and her 10 year old adopted
daughter alive in a shallow grave behind his shrine in Ajuwon, Ogun State.
Trouble started for the retired Customs officer, one
Mrs Angela Kerry, who resided at New Oko‑Oba area of Lagos, following her inability
to give birth.
In her search for possible solution, she was
reportedly introduced to the suspect who confessed to have carried out series
of rituals and also prepared concoctions for her to no avail.
Apparently disappointed, Kerry was said to have
demanded the refund of N9 million earlier collected from her by the herbalist
last month, consequent upon which he invited her to his shrine at 9, Wadoye
Street, Ajuwon to collect the money.
Unknown to Kerry, who went in company of her adopted
daughter, the herbalist had a sinister motive up his sleeves.
Narrating how he buried mother and child alive, the
suspect who claimed to have three wives and five children said: “She provoked
me to anger. I did what I did because I considered her an enemy who was out to
kill me if I did not act fast. “It all started five years ago when she was
introduced to me by her friend, one Lizzy. She was attacked spiritually and I
helped her out. She came again over a similar attack and I also prepared some
concoction which saved her. She told me that her family members were after her
and I said she needed to fortify herself. “Three years ago, she revealed that
she has not been able to give birth and had not been pregnant for one day. I
told her it would be impossible since she had reached menopause but she
objected, saying many prophets had told her God could do it. “Along the line,
she said she wanted to sell her property at Omole, that she wanted to travel
abroad to be away from her family. After selling the property, I discovered so
many pastors started coming around here to get a share from the money realised.
In fact she told me that she had paid N15 million to some pastors already.
“Then I told myself that if I did not act fast, these people will collect
everything from her. I had to tell her to bring N9 million to prepare some
concoction for her pregnancy, even though I knew it was impossible for her to
get pregnant. “She gave me N9 million. But after nine months, she came back
saying nothing happened and demanded a refund. That was where trouble started.
I managed to pay her N 3.5 million and begged her to be patient for the balance.
“Then she charged into my temple one Friday demanding that she should be paid
that day. I told her I won’t pay her and that if she had gone to the hospital
and the treatment failed could she have demanded a refund. She threatened to
deal with me if I did not pay her, saying she would show me she was in the force.
“I told myself that this is war because I remembered she once showed me a gun
at her apartment. I knew it was not a mere threat because she said she would
kill me and nothing would happen. That threat provoked me. I knew that when two
people are fighting, the first to attack will emerge winner.
“So, I decided to act fast before she tarnished my
image. I pacified her to come back next day for the money. When leaving, I told
her not to come with the daughter. “After she left, I told myself I needed to
act fast. I went to a building at the back of my shrine where I dug a hole. I
spread a mat on the hole and laid a white cloth on it, exactly the way it looks
in my shrine. “When she came next day, I told her to go inside the building
that we needed to pray before we talk about the money. She asked if the prayer
was for the pregnancy and I told her it was for fortification. “I warned her
not to take her daughter along but she refused. I did not argue any further
because I did not want my plan to fail.
“On getting inside the building, I asked her to stand
on the white cloth and immediately she did, she fell inside the hole and landed
on her buttocks. All I heard when she fell was yeh! When she fell, I said I
have seen the end of my enemy and I have gained victory. “The daughter did not
say a word. She just stood watching. I had to cover the hole with over 40
buckets of sand. “After covering the hole, I asked myself what to do with the
little girl. I left the room, locked it from outside. When I came back at about
6.30pm, I met her on the sand. I quickly removed my jacket and poured about 30
bucket of sand to cover her. Next day, I went to get two bricklayers to cement
the place.”
Describing the act as callous, CP Manko explained that
after committing the crime, the suspect took her Toyota Camry vehicle to a
dealer’s workshop to sell.
But the bubble burst when the victim’s relatives
reported at New Oko‑Oba Police Station that Mrs Kerry was missing. The
policemen, he said, traced the victim’s car to a dealer’s workshop where two
persons were arrested, adding that their confessional statement led to the
suspect’s arrest.
“We have been able to recover the decomposed bodies
and the victim’s travelling bag containing her personal effects and that of her
daughter from the shallow grave he buried them in,” Manko said.
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