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FROM: PAUL ORUDE, BAUCHI The Bauchi State police command has arrested four suspects for beating a 70-year-old woman to death for alleged witchcraft. This was confirmed by the Police Public Relations officer (PPRO), Mr. Kamal Mohammed, in an interview with Daily Sun in his office, on Tuesday. The incident happened at Doka village in Bauchi Local Government Area of the state in September 5. Mohammed, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said that the suspects seized the deceased, Mrs. Liyatu Michael, and another elderly woman whom they suspected of witchcraft, to a room in a house in the community and started beating them. The PPRO said that report reaching the police indicated that on realising that one of the women had died, they took her lifeless body outside the room and dumped it in the backyard The other identified as Keziya, survived the beatings and has been hospitalised. Mohammed explained that the police have arrested four suspects in connection with the death of Liyatu while some suspects are still at large but the police are making effort to arrest them and bring them to justice. He said that the police are investigating the circumstances that led to Liyatu’s death while the four suspects would soon be charged to court for culpable homicide. Daily Sun learnt that problem started for the two women after they allegedly confessed to be among practising witchcraft that had reportedly “caused” many premature deaths and setbacks in Doka community. The irate the youths thereafter pouncing on them not minding their ages in a bid to force them to confess more details of their alleged atrocities. Daily Sun learnt that the Liyatu, a mother of eight, and another elderly woman, Keiziya, were rounded up by the youths and taken to a room where the two elderly women were beaten to pulp in presence of their helpless children and family members. Our correspondent learnt that the youths were specifically angered that the duo was allegedly behind the grave illness of a young house wife in the community identified by our correspondent as, Yelkon. “Yelkon has been bedridden and seriously sick immediately after she gave birth and we learnt that her illness was caused by the two women who confessed to have “tied her” in the coven and would be sick until she dies,” said a resident of Doka, who pleaded anonymity. The irate youths alleged descended on the two women around 3:00 in the morning. |