Osun: Police drag eight suspects to court over alleged cultism
Osun State Police on Tuesday arraigned eight suspects before an Ile-Ife Magistrates’ Court over alleged cultism, disturbance of the peace and causing grievous bodily harm to residents of a community.
The defendants are Joseph Odeh, 37; Yemi Olaniran, 25; Taiwo Babatunde, 26; Tope Ajayi, 26; Sunday Adeyemi, 35; Niyi Balogun, 39; Kazeem Adedire, 42 and Alex Adeagbo, 19.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Sunday Osanyintuyi, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on Jan 22, 2022 around 10:30am at Ompetu area, Ile-Ife.
Osanyintuyi said that the defendants conspired among themselves to commit felony to wit; cultism, possession of arms, substance suspected to be cannabis sativa and causing grievous bodily harm.
According to him, the defendants are members of a secret cult, “Eiye 21” and disturbed the peace of the above mentioned area.
He said that the defendants while armed with lethal weapons caused tension in the neighborhood of Ile-Ife.
The prosecutor stated further that the defendants when arrested had in their possession a parcel of substance suspected to be Indian hemp.
Osanyintuyi explained that the defendants illegally blocked the public road, threatened the populace and robbed them of their belongings.
The offences, he said, contravened Sections 5 and 6 of the Indian Hemp Act Vol. 3, Law of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004.
Osanyintuyi said that the offences also contravened Sections 71, 88, 402 and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Osun 2002.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to five-count charge.
Counsel to the defendants, Mr Ben Adirieje, Miss Mariam Lai-Ibrahim and Mr Adesope Adewale applied for the bail of their respective clients, pledging that the defendants won’t jump bail and would provide reliable sureties.
The Magistrate, Mr Olusola Aluko did not grant the defendants bail, but asked their counsel to make formal application for their clients’ bail.
Aluko consequently ordered the remand of the defendants in the Correctional centre in Ile-Ife.
The case was adjourned until February 28th, for hearing.
