A ritualist was allegedly burnt today in Ughelli, headquarters of Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State.

Although the eyewitness accounts surrounding the incident vary, many agree that the ritualist was disguised as a mad man.

What spooked passers-by was the fact that he was making call using an expensive phone, said one of the witnesses.

“Everybody wondered how a mad man could be using such an expensive Android phone. When he started running and swallowed the SIM card, it became clear that he was not a mad man.

“Everyone was surprised by what they had seen and some persons tried to approach the mad man. On seeing that he had been noticed, he quickly pulled out the SIM card from the phone, swallowed it and began to flee.

However, the man was burnt to death after the masses got word that he was set free by the police.

“He was caught and they began to beat him to get information from him. In the process of beating him, some persons came and said that this same mad man was arrested about two weeks ago by the police after he performed the same act of swallowing a SIM card when he was caught discussing on the phone with someone about selling body parts.

“On hearing that he was arrested and released, the mob got angry and set him ablaze immediately.”

However, another source said the man was caught and set ablaze by the mob after the expensive Android phone, a boy and sharp object was found in a sac beside him.

A call through to Mr Bright Edafe, the PPRO, confirmed that the police are aware of the incident but are not sure why the man was killed by the mob.