Photos: Three men confess during burial ceremony to killing deceased with juju over disputed land in Enugu

Operatives of the Enugu State Police Command have arrested five persons including two native doctors in connection with the death of a man. The deceased, one Thomas Ezeugwu from Nkpologwu town in Uzouwani Local Government Area of Enugu state, slumped and died in mysterious circumstance on October 6.

It was gathered that during mourning, the suspects confessed that they conspired and went to Omor Town in Anambra state and invoked Juju on the said land on the ground that whoever steps into it will die.

Below is a statement issued on Wednesday, November 8, by the Command's spokesperson, SP Ebere Amaraizu:

To many especially relations of one Thomas Ezeugwu now deceased, from Nkpologwu town in Uzouwani Local Government Area of Enugu state,the death of their loved one who resides in lagos still remains fresh in their mind given the mysterious circumstance he allegedly died.The deceased had allegedly on 6/10/17 in the morning,slumped and died.Following his death,the deceased corpse was however brought to his home town Nkpologwu in Uzouwani Local Government Area of Enugu state for burial formalities.

As if the spirit of the deceased was hunting his alleged killers,it was gathered that as the mourning was on one Okolo Nicholas,Peter Ezugwu and Augustine Ezeugwu all from the same town but resident in Onitsha Anambra state and who had come for the burial ceremony of the deceased had allegedly called village members and revealed to them how they conspired and brought Juju from Omor Town of Anambra state which was invoked into their disputed land which they alleged that the deceased sold 20 plots without their consent.

On the strength of this, the operatives of the Enugu state command of the Nigeria Police Force swung into action by launching a full scale investigations of invocation of Juju, Trial by ordeal to wit-murder against suspects Peter Ezeugwu,Oko Nicholas and Augustine Ezeugwu with a view to finding out the circumstances surrounding the sudden death of the deceased amongst other things. Suspects during investigations revealed how they conspired and went to Omor Town of Anambra state and invoked Juju on the said land on the ground that whoever enters the land will die and also submitted that the deceased may have entered the land hence his sudden death.Following their revelations,the two native Doctors involved in the invocation of the juju/trial by ordeal who gave their names as Obu Madubuike and Okafor Okoye all from Omor Town Anambra state were nabbed,The native Doctors confirmed that they were met by the three suspects for invocation of juju and that it was targeted at whoever that will enter the said land.

Meanwhile the two native Doctors and the three suspects have been arraigned on 3/11/17 before a chief magistrate court of Enugu state of Nigeria in the Uzouwani magisterial district holden at Adani on two count charges of conspiracy to commit felony to wit trial by ordeal and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 495(a) of the criminal code cap 30 vol11 Revised Laws of Enugu state of Nigeria 2004 and planting and invocation of Prohibited Juju into a communal land situated at Ogba Nkpologwu which cause the death of one Thomas Ezeugwu and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 189 contrary to section 274 of the criminal code cap 30 vol11 Revised Laws of Enugu state of Nigeria 2004.

All the suspects however pleaded not guilty just as case was adjourned to 1/12/17.