Alhaji Salam, the Uncle of a 27-year-old boy, Kareem Malik, who was allegedly murdered by Adekunle Mohammed, has narrated how the deceased went missing before his body stump, with some parts already severed, was discovered in a well dug by Mohammed.
The defendant is standing trial with four others before Justice Akinniyi Ladiran Akintola at Court 5, Oyo State High Court, over alleged conspiracy, murder and dismemberment of the corpses of victims for sale. The four others are Muniru Salaudeen, Rashidat Akanji a.k.a Iya Ewe, Ismail Olalekan and Sanmi Obaleye.
Led by the Attorney-General, Oyo State, Abiodun Aikomo, the prosecution team at the hearing included senior state counsel, Barrister S.A. Osuolale, Barrister A.T. Alabi, Barrister Oluwafemi Akinlotan, Barrister Joseph Ogunniyi and Barrister C.E.C Law-Nwosu.
The defence counsel were Barrister Akinwumi for the first defendant, Mohammed; Barrister Babarinde for the second defendant, Salaudeen; Barrister Adekoya for the third and fourth defendants, Akanji and Olalekan; and Barrister Adebola Ogungbe for the fifth defendant, Obaleye.
The first prosecution witness (PW1), Alhaji Salam, claimed that his nephew was killed by Mohammed, while the four other defendants were the buyers of his nephew’s body parts.
In his narration, he said: “On August 7, 2025, at about 7p.m., we noticed that Malik was missing. He was 17 years old at that time. I went to Moniya Police Station, but was told to return the following day since it was not yet up to 24 hours that he got missing.
“The following day, I wrote a statement at the police station. They also collected Malik’s phone number, but he was not found that day. I also visited Anti-Kidnapping Squad at Dugbe, Ibadan, and was told that his phone would be tracked. I paid for the tracking.
“On August 10, I went back to Moniya but was told he had not been found. In the afternoon on the same day, a police officer called me. I got there and was told that they had apprehended someone who killed a human being. They asked me to come and check the body of a person killed in the area by Mohammed Adekunle if it was that of my nephew or not. When I got there, his head, hands, legs and intestines had been removed from the body. It was the cloth he wore before leaving home which was found on his body trunk that made me to recognise him.
“I saw Mohammed at the Moniya Police Station. I went back to the Divisional Police Officer and told him that the body stump of the boy we were looking for was brought in with Mohammed. The DPO then transferred the suspect to SCID, Iyaganku. I was told to join them there. I met Mohammed confessing to the murder of my nephew. When the police saw how emotional I became, they took me to another room.
“When he was asked about the missing body parts, he told the police that he had sold them. He mentioned those he sold them to, but I didn’t know them until the police brought them. They are the ones in court today (pointing at the other four defendants).”
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In a cross examination, the counsel of the first defendant, Barrister Akinwumi, asked the prosecution witness if he knew Adekunle before the incident, to which he replied he used to see him at Moniya, but had no relationship with him. He said that he knew the name only when he was making a statement at the police station. He said he also heard the first defendant telling the police of his involvement in Malik’s murder.
The cross examination by the defence counsel continued:
Q. Before the occurrence, you never visited the first defendant in his house at any time?
A. No
Q. It was at Moniya police station that his name was mentioned to you?
A. I heard his name while he was making a statement at Iyaganku.
Q. Was the statement written in Yoruba?
A. I didn’t know what was written, but I heard him telling the police officer of his involvement in Yoruba language.
Q. Can you read or write in English?
A. No.
Q. You were not there when they said the first defendant killed Malik?
A. No.
Q. You were told to come and see the person who killed Malik?
A. No. I was called to come to the station to see if the murder victim that was discovered was my nephew.
Q. When you saw the body, it had been dismembered?
A. The head, hands, legs and entrails had been severed, but the stump still had on it the clothes Malik wore before he got missing.
Q. What was the colour of the shirt Malik was wearing on August 7?
A. Pink shirt, a pair of jeans trousers and shoes.
Q. Were the clothes stained with blood?
A. There were blood spots on them.
The counsel to the second defendant, Mr S.O. Babarinde, also cross-examined the prosecution witness:
Q. Who is Afaa Mukaila Babatunde?
A. We are from the same mother.
Q. He’s older in age?
A. Yes, he is.
Q. He called you that Malik’s body had been exhumed?
A. No. The police called me.
Q. Do you know what it is to speak the truth, especially when you are under an oath?
A. Yes.
Q. Do you know what perjury is?
A. Yes.
Q. Do you know the punishment attached to perjury?
A. Yes.
Q. On 10th of August, 2024, your statement was taken at State CID, Iyaganku?
A. Yes.
Q. In paragraphs 14 and 15, you said AfaaBabatunde called you on phone to inform you about the incident.
A. Yes, but that was after the call from police at Moniya.
Q. Were the police the ones that told you about his selling the human body parts to other defendants?
A. No. I heard the first defendant when he was saying it.
Cross–examination by the defence counsel to the third and fourth defendants, Barrister Adekoya:
Q. Was there a time in June 2024 that Malik was missing?
A. No.
Q. His body parts were not amputated in the month?
A. No.
Q. You heard at the police station when the first defendant said that he sold the body parts to other defendants?
A. Yes.
Q. When the matter was still with the police at State CID, they used to give you day-to-day report of it?
A. No.
Q. I want you to disclose to the court which body part was sold to the third and fourth defendants?
A. I don’t know.
Cross-examination by the counsel of the fifth defendant, Barrister Adebola Ogungbe:
Q. You have told the court what happened to Malik, the same thing you told the police at State CID. Before you made a statement there, you already heard the confessional statement of the first defendant. Your statement here today is also the same with your statement at the State CID, and whatever you have said here today which is not in your statement at the State CID is an afterthought.
A. I narrated the incident as it happened.
Q. You said you heard the statement of the first defendant that he had sold the body parts of the deceased. He mentioned some names. Can you remember the names mentioned?
A. No, I can’t remember.
Q. From the statement of the first defendant, did he confess that he killed and dismembered the body of the deceased before selling them?
A. Yes
Q. It was at the magistrate’s court that you first saw the second to fifth defendants?
Q. It was when you saw them in the court that you assumed they were the buyers?
A. Yes.
The case was adjourned for further hearing.
Mohammed, resident of Olorisa-Oko, Moniya Community, was arrested in August, 2024, by detectives in Oyo State Police Command in connection with the death of missing persons.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that prior to his arrest, residents of the community were perceiving foul odour coming from the well he dug in front of his house.
The first defendant had allegedly carried out such acts before his arrest over alleged killing of Malik Kareem whose body stump was brought out of the well dug by the first defendant. Discovered to be missing from the body stump were the head, hands, legs and the entrails of the deceased.
At the recent hearing, Barrister Akinwumi, who stood for the first defendant for the first time explained that he was doing the case pro bono (free), to which the defendant agreed.
The charges of conspiracy, murder and improper interference with human body for ritual purpose were read to the defendants and they all pleaded not guilty.
