A man who tried to suck venom from a decapitated snake (locally known as pathfinder) to boost his immunity against all poisons, died within half an hour of the attempt.

He has been identified as Musah Dzikpor, 53, a painter, resident at Aflao.

A source close to the deceased told the GNA that the deceased, who was passionate about traditional medicine, last Tuesday morning visited a friend who engaged a tractor on his farm at Ziome, a village near the Diamond Cement Factory.

He said while there, the tractor operator spotted a pathfinder entangled in the plough, but menacingly stretching to reach him, so he slashed off its head with a cutlass.

The source said as the villagers argued over who would take possession of the head of the snake, in view of the importance attached to it, therefore, Dzikpor went for it.

He said Dzikpor opened the mouth of the reptile and slot in his tongue to suck the poison but the reptile’s head still alive, plunged its fangs into his tongue.

The source said Dzikpor was unable to shout but he beckoned the people around, who helped disentangle the snake’s head and his tongue.

He said the tinge of Dziekpor’s skin, immediately started changing, and within 30 minutes, he died while he was being rushed to the hospital.

Dzikpor’s body is in the Ketu-South District Hospital morgue pending autopsy.