Police arraign three human parts dealers

The suspects
| credits: File copy

The Lagos State Police Command on Thursday arraigned three alleged human parts sellers – Ajibade Rafiu 30; Fatai Akiwowo 30; and Agboola Kolawole – before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court.

PUNCH Metro had reported on May 22, 2013 that four men were paraded at the command headquarters for exhuming and selling human parts.

They were arraigned on three counts of unlawful possession of human parts, exhuming human corpses and being in possession of human heads and palms.

The charge sheet read in part, “That you (accused persons) and others at large between the months of January and May 2013, within the hours of 6pm and 6am at Alakuko areas in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: Possession of human parts and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 409 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.

“That you (accused persons) and others at large, did without lawful justification or excuse, unlawfully, improperly and indecently interfered, exhumed and dealt in human parts and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 163(b) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.”

The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The magistrate, Mrs. Ipaye Nwachukwu, granted them bail in the sum of N500,000 and two responsible sureties, who must also present a three-year tax clearance.

The matter was adjourned till July 17, 2013.

Meanwhile, PUNCH Metro learnt that the fourth suspect, Kazeem Sanni, was not charged to court because investigations were still being carried out into his case.

The suspects had said while being paraded that they sold human heads for N8,000, hands for N4,000 and private part for N6,000.