Police arraign nine for cult activities

  

Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate Court

Nine men have been arraigned before an Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court for allegedly belonging to an unlawful society and terrorising residents of Falomo in the Ikoyi area of Lagos.

The nine defendants -Gbenga Kayode, Henry Peter, Jonas Ogon, Cletus Okpe, Salihu Adavuruku, Matthew Thomas, Ayi Aigudiven, Chinedu Linus and Lucky Anthony – were arraigned on five counts of cultism, unruly public conduct and wandering.

The police told the court that while some of the defendants were rounded up in an uncompleted building; others were arrested while causing trouble.

It added that all the defendants “polluted the atmosphere of the people living within the vicinity of Falomo Police Barracks, Falomo Post Office and Obalende Barracks, Lagos, by smoking weeds suspected to be Indian Hemp, thereby making the place unsafe for their health and also disallowing them (people) from carrying out their lawful business in the neighbourhood.”

It further alleged that the defendants belonged to a secret society.

The charge read in part, “That you, Gbenga Kayode, Henry Peter, Jonas Ogon, Cletus Okpe, Salihu Adavuruku, Matthew Thomas, Ayi Aigudiven, Chinedu Linus, Lucky Anthony, on the 6th of October, 2013 at about 11.30am at White Sand area of Falomo Ikoyi, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did belong to an unlawful society known as ‘Aye and Eiye Confraternity’ secret society respectively.”

The prosecutor, ASP Nkankuk, who was represented by Nwosu George, said the offences were punishable under Sections 166(d), 166(h), 42(a), 164(a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.

The defendants, whose ages range from 18 to 38 years, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Their defence counsel, Ola Ogunbiyi, urged the court to grant the defendants bail in the most liberal terms.

“They are all young citizens and have their parents. They were all raided indiscriminately by the police and brought before this court,” he added.

The prosecutor did not object to the bail of the defendants.

The magistrate, Mrs. Demi Ajayi, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties each in like sum.

She said, “The sureties must be responsible, be gainfully employed and be a resident of Lagos State. One of the sureties must be a parent and present a sworn affidavit of means.”

The matter was adjourned till November 4 2013.