A self-styled shaman who boasted his magic could multiply money has been seized after police unearthed 12 bodies poisoned with cyanide near his home.

The grim discovery in the town of Banjarnegara, in Central Java, in Indonesia, was made after the family of one 53-year-old victim called the police.

Accused Slamet Tohari, 45 – also known as Mbah Slamet – is said to have tricked his victims into handing over their cash before poisoning them.

The police said on Wednesday, 5th April, that they had found “at least” a dozen bodies in woods near his home, which had been buried with bottles of drink laced with deadly cyanide.

Provincial Police Chief Inspector General Ahmad Luthfi said Tohari had told his victims the bottles contained a “magical liquid”.

So far only one of the bodies has been identified, with investigators working to identify the others, according to local media.

Banjarnegara Police Chief Hendri Yulianto said the victims had given Tohari between IDR 30 million to IDR 50 million (GBP 1,600 to GBP 2,700) each.

The police also believe there could be more victims waiting to be discovered, with Chief Hendri Yulianto saying: “It is possible that more may be found.”

Tohari – known as a ‘dukun’ or ‘healer’ locally – was arrested after a 53-year-old victim from the city of Sukabumi, West Java, disappeared after visiting him, with his unnamed son then reporting his disappearance to the police.

Heri Purnama Tanjung – a lawyer representing the son – said an autopsy report showed he had been buried alive and took hours to die from the poison.

The lawyer said: “When the victim performed the ritual and had drunk the poison, the perpetrator prepared the grave by digging a hole while waiting for the poison in the victim’s body to take effect.

“After [being rendered] limp and helpless but still alive, the victim was put into the prepared hole.”

The investigation is ongoing.