By Correspondent in Ilorin
Pastor Gabriel Josaya, popularly called Eli-Wakuku, the prophet and founder of St. Moses Orimolade Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Ilorin is to spend four years imprisonment in correctional facility for dealing in human parts.
Chief Magistrate Mohammed Ibrahim handed down the sentence on Monday, after a long trial.
He ordered that the convict, who was sentenced along with his accomplice, Gabriel Moyosore, the herbalist who usually sell human skulls to Eli-Wakuku should serve their sentences without option of fine.
The two men were convicted of conspiracy, trespass and unlawful possession of human parts.
The police First Information Report(FIR) revealed that Josaya unlawfully gained entry into a cemetery where he exhumed human skulls and sold them to various customers at the rate of N8,000 per skull.
According to FIR, a human skull was discovered in possession of Moyosore and the convict confessed to the crime.
The Investigating Police Officer, (IPO), Peter Ibiyemi, told the court in his evidence that Josaya confessed that he had exhumed over 200 human skulls from the Muslim Cemetery, Osere area of Ilorin.
He added that Josaya began the business in 2009, adding that the convict carried out his operation mainly at night and singlehandedly.
According to Ibiyemi, for each operation, he paid N10,000 to the cemetery security guard.
He also stated that Josaya confessed to have sold each skull for N6,000 to Moyosore.
During cross examination, the counsel for the pastor, Ibrahim Olojoku, argued that the statement obtained from his client was not voluntarily made, adding that he was compelled by the police to admit to the crime.
Olojoku, who claimed to have witnessed the torture of the accused by the police, added that he gave the statement under duress.
The counsel for the convicts, Toyin Onanolapo, promised to make proper consultation as to whether to appeal the judgment or not.
The Reporters gathered that in 2016, Josaya and his accomplice were arraigned before Magistrate Kudirat Yahaya for criminal conspiracy, criminal trespass and unlawful possession of human heads contrary to Sections 97, 348 and 219 of the Penal Code Law.
The case was then transferred to Chief Magistrate Muhammed Ibrahim in 2018.
