Tragedy struck in Laoso camp, Ondo town, Ondo State, as a son of a traditionalist, identified as Tunde Akinmoyewa, was shot dead by his friend, Bode, while testing the potency of a bulletproof charm placed on him.

Meanwhile, Police in the state said that the deceased was an ex-convict and cult members while the suspected killer is also a cultist.

Reports had it that the friends were trying to fortify themselves ahead of the yearly Ogun festival in the town.

Vanguard gathered that his friend was asked to test the potency of the charm put on the victim by shooting him with a Dane gun.

An eyewitness said: “It was unbelievable, because such charms never failed before. But this very day, this particular one failed and caused the death of the 27 years old son of a traditionalist in the camp.

“It was around 6:45p.m. at the Laoso camp in Ondo West Local Government Area of the state, when a friend of Tunde volunteered to test the charm on him after drinking some bullet-repelling concoction.

“A native doctor, who reportedly prepared the charm, had assured them that they could not die from gunshots.

“To test the potency of the charms, Tunde was said to have told his friend to shoot him. Immediately Tunde’s friend fired the Dane gun at him, he fell and died instantly.

“He was confirmed dead at the hospital he was rushed to by others who were at the scene. The friend fled after the incident and before the villagers arrived the scene.”

Contacted, the state police commands spokesperson, Funmi Odunlami, said that the victim was an ex-convict and cult member.

Odunlami said that the suspect, who shot the victim, is one of the deceased’s boys.

According to her, they were testing “a locally-made gun believed to be newly procured. He was shot and he died while being taken to the hospital for medical attention.”

The police imagemaker added that Tunde’s remains had been deposited at the morgue while efforts were in top gear to arrest the fleeing suspect.