I think it was the ‘Ice’ I took: Ondo labourer on why he beheaded farmer

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A labourer in Ondo State, Sunday Clement, has blamed his intake of mixture of Crystal methamphetamine, also known as ‘ice’ and marijuana for his unprovoked beheading of farmer, Tayo Olatoye.

Police Prosecutor, Mary Adebayo, told a Magistrate Court in Akure that Sunday committed the offence on September 4, 2023, at about 2:30 pm at Baba Odun Camp, Ofosu in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.

The 24-year-old labourer killed his 30-year-old victim while they were going to the farm, according to report in The Nation newspaper.

He used his cutlass to cut Alatoye’s head from his body without any provocation.

Police said the offence contravened Sections 316 and 319 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 37 Vol. II Law of Ondo State, 2006.

But while pleading for forgiveness, Sunday blamed his consumption of a mixture of Crystal methamphetamine also known as ‘ice’ and marijuana for his action.

“We were both going, and we greeted each other on the road part.”

“The spirit just came over me to cut off Taye’s head. I can’t actually say what led to it. I think it was the ‘Ice’ I took in the hot sun,” he explained.

“The spirit just told me to go backward and I did. All my eyes were blocked and I heard another voice that instructed me to cut the man with the cutlass in my hand, which I did.

“Immediately I did it, I came back to my senses and started crying before I was eventually apprehended by the police, “ Sunday said.

The Magistrate, Folasade Aduroja, did not take Sunday’s plea for want of jurisdiction.

She ordered the remand of the defendant to the Olokuta Correctional Centre and directed the case file be duplicated and sent to the DPP for advice.

The case was adjourned to November 28, 2023.

Ondo labourer,Sunday Clement blames his intake of Crystal methamphetamine, aka ‘ice’ and marijuana for beheading of a farmer, Tayo Olatoye.