I attempted to use my cousin for money ritual, suspect

A suspect ritualist, Jonah Jabbah, who allegedly attempted to use his eight-year-old cousin for money-making ritual said that he felt the lad was responsible for his misfortune in business.

A Police Investigator, Mr Simon Ezekiel, made the disclosure in his testimony to an Abuja Court on Thursday.

Ezekiel, who investigated the case, told a Karu Chief Magistrates’ Court in Abuja, presided over by Mr Shaibu Ahmed, that the accused made the confession during interrogation at the station.

Jonah, his brother, Nanah Jabbah and one Alhaji Mamman are facing a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, abduction and attempt to commit an offence.

Ezekiel, who appeared in court as a prosecution witness, alleged that the three conspired to use an eight-year-old boy, Lokoja Abash, for ritual sometime in 2011.

He was led in evidence by the Prosecution Counsel, Mr John Ijagbemi.

The investigator said the accused persons were arrested by operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) on April 12, 2011 and transferred to the State Police CID Command in Abuja, three days later.

He said that the accused persons, all residents of Kokona in Nasarawa, had taken the boy to a spiritualist, based in Durumi II, Abuja, Mohammed Ibrahim, for ritual purposes.

“The spiritualist requested for N30,000 to enable him buy the items needed for the ritual which they provided.

“Ibrahim, who told them to wait for him in his shrine while he went to purchase the items, tipped off the SSS whose operatives stormed the shrine and arrested the suspects.

“During interrogation, the first accused person (Jonah) told me that the boy was his cousin and had been staying with him for some time before the incident.

“He said after the boy joined him, his provision business collapsed and his pick-up van broke down beyond repair.

“Jonah confessed that he decided to use him for ritual because he later discovered that the boy was in a secret society and was responsible his misfortune,’’ he alleged.

The witness also said that he led the investigation team on a visit to the scene of the incident and discovered that the shrine existed.

After the witness’ testimony, the prosecution counsel tendered signed written statements made by the accused persons’ at the station as exhibits.

The court admitted the statements in evidence after the accused persons agreed that they were made and signed by them.

When asked whether they had any question to the evidence of the prosecution witness, the accused persons, who represented themselves in court, answered in the negative.

The Chief Magistrate then adjourned the case till May 30, for continuation of hearing and presentation of more witnesses

- vanguard