The Dominican National Police informed Thursday of the arrest "for the purpose of investigation" of a Haitian national who possessed a human skull and two coffins in a place of celebration of the « Santería » religion in the sector of San Felipe de Villa Mella (Santo Domingo North).

According to a police note, the suspect identified as Oscar Cherry (44) acknowledged that he practiced the "Santería". The skull according to a judicial anthropologist, would belong to a man of about 40 years. "Cherry said the skull had been bought for him in Haiti two years ago and that he had brought him to the Dominican Republic for ritual practices," said the note.

The police said that the detainee will be placed under the control of the Public Prosecutor in the coming hours, for applicable legal purposes, because the Dominican laws prohibit the practice of the "Santería".

However, it could simply be a matter of black magic, commonly practiced by Haitians in the Dominican Republic having nothing to do with the Santeria religion.

Learn more about Santara :

The Santería is a very popular African religion in Cuba derived from the Yoruba brought by the Nigerian black slaves in the sixteenth century. Recall that the Yoruba religion is dominated by a supreme God who sent on earth emissaries, human demi-gods who are the personification of Nature.

SL/ HaitiLibre