Osun Herbalist Confesses Killing Friend For Money Ritual 

• Blames devil for the heinous crime

Currently cooling his feet in Police custody, a self-professed herbalist residing in Oba-Oke area of Osun State, Ganiyu Kehinde has confessed to killing his close friend, Emmanuel Collins for money rituals.

The herbalist told police operatives that he was lured into committing the heinous crime in a bid to get human parts for specific rituals that would make him rich.

Kehinde was among some suspects arrested by the Police for various crimes in the state and paraded at the Command’s headquarters in Osogbo, the State capital on Friday.

The Osun Police Command’s Spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, who spoke to journalists about the case, said a report was lodged at Oke-Odo Division in Osogbo that a Ghanaian, Collins, aged 35, was killed by a yet-to-be-identified individual.

She said; “Police detectives swung into action, and through intelligence led to an investigation, one Kehinde Ganiyu ‘m’ intimate friend to the deceased was arrested.

“He confessed to the commission of the heinous crime and stated that, on 9th July 2024, at about 9:00 pm, he went to the deceased’s residence with a knife, where he met him sleeping because he was sick.

“That he slaughtered the deceased with the kitchen knife and removed his throat. He added further that he dried the throat for three days before he took it to a bush called Igbo Imese Aiwosi Area, located at Oba-Oke village, where he burnt it in a clay pot with some ritual materials and later mixed the burnt powder with soap for money ritual (OSOLE).”

According to the Police Public Relations Officer; “He (Kehjnde) confessed to having singlehandedly carried out the operation”, adding that; “The investigation is still ongoing, and the suspect will be charged to court after the investigation accordingly.”

Answering questions from journalists, the suspect, who claimed to be an herbalist, admitted killing the deceased, explaining that he used the victim’s throat to prepare a money ritual soap.

Pressed further on the incident, Kehinde said; “I am a herbalist. The deceased was my friend. I could not tell what came over me. I met him sick, and I attacked him and killed him for money rituals.

“The devil pushed me to kill my friend for money rituals. After killing him, I removed his throat and used it to prepare a soap for money ritual, which I had. I have done similar soap for four Yahoo boys before. Devil pushed me to do it.”

In another development, the Police also paraded was a 22-year-old suspect, Effiong Saviour, who allegedly attacked a woman in Ipetumodu area of the State.

Effiong is said to have committed the crime with a cutlass and robbed the woman of her handbag containing a phone, GT Bank ATM card, and N6,000 after inflicting machete cuts on her.

The Police Spokesperson, who warned members of the public against acts of criminality, disclosed that all suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of an investigation into their various crimes.

She also urged residents of the State to always volunteer timely information that would prevent crime in their respective communities.