Bari, Italy  - The death in Italy of a two-year old boy following a botched circumcision lead Wednesday to the arrest of a Nigerian man on manslaughter and illegal medical practice charges.

The boy, identified in news reports only with the name Johnson, died Tuesday of a haemorrhage several hours after the circumcision took place, authorities in the southern port city of Bari said.

Police arrested 28-year-old Eraboremi Eghanghe who they said has admitted to carrying out the circumcision with a "barber's razor- blade and some palm oil." However, he has denied being responsible for the boy's death.

Eghanghe, who arrived in Italy in May and was staying at a Bari reception centre for asylum seekers, was allegedly contacted by the boy's mother to perform the circumcision for the sum of 100 euros (159 dollars), the Adnkronos news agency reported.

The boy's mother a 24-year-old Spanish citizen of Nigerian origin is being investigated on charges of failing to provide timely assistance to her son.

The woman, identified only with the name Orobosa, alerted paramedics of her son's condition, 17 hours after the circumcision had taken place, by which time he had already lost a lot of blood, police say. The boy died shortly after being hospitalized

While male circumcision is not illegal in Italy, it has to be performed by qualified person working in sanitary conditions, authorities said.

Female circumcision or genital mutilation is banned in Italy with parents who seek to have their children operated abroad liable for prosecution. (dpa)