32-year-old man, identified as Robinson Omeje was charged in a Makurdi Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday for allegedly killing his 18-month-old daughter, Esther Robinson.

The plea of the defendant was not taken, as he claimed a voice pronounced her a witch and directed him to kill her but the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

The Magistrate, Mrs Theresa Wergba, ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody and adjourned the case until August 2, 2017

The prosecutor, Inspector Adole Oluwa, told the court that the case was reported at the ‘E’ Police Division, Makurdi, by one Doom Robinson of New Street, Joseph Catholic Church, Akpehe Makurdi, on May 18, 2017.

He then said that the accused wife had reportedly returned from her shop and found her daughter’s lifeless body inside a plastic bucket.

In addition, he explained that during police investigation, the accused person was arrested, and he confessed to having strangled the girl to death when a voice told him that she was a witch.

According to the prosecutor, the investigation into the matter was still in progress and prayed the court for an adjournment, adding that the offence contravened Section 222 of the Penal Code Law of Benue State, 2004.