The police in Osun State, yesterday, arraigned three men, Idowu Adetunji, 30, Ayomide Damilare, 35 and Gbolahan Ajayi, 25, in an Ile-Ife Magistrate’s Court on allegations of cultism.
The defendants were arraigned on an eight-count charge of conspiracy, cultism, unlawful possession, breach of peace, smoking, and willful obstruction.
Police prosecutor, Inspector Sunday Osanyintuyi, told the court that the defendants allegedly committed the offence on March 12, at about 9:00 a.m., at the Sawmill area, Road 7, Ile-Ife.
According to him, the defendants conspired among themselves to commit felony, to wit: cultism, unlawful possession, and conduct likely to cause breach of peace. He alleged that the defendants paraded themselves as members of a secret cult called Alora Confraternity and disturbed the peace of the neighbourhood. He also said the defendants allegedly had in their possession wraps of a substance suspected to be hemp, which they were smoking.
The prosecutor added that the defendants conducted themselves in a manner that could cause breach of the peace by smoking weed within the neighbourhood.
“The defendants unlawfully resisted arrest and willfully obstructed the police officers who were performing their lawful duty.
“They had in their possession a Tecno android, Itel button, Infinix android, and Samsung android cell phones, which ownership they could not satisfactorily account for,” he said. Osanyintuyi said that the offences contravened Sections 63, 71, 197, 249(d), 430 and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Osun, 2002.
However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to all the counts. Consequently, the defence counsel, Philip Fasanmoye, applied for the bail of the defendants in the most liberal terms. He told the court that his clients would not jump bail but would provide reliable sureties.
After taking arguments from parties, Magistrate A. I. Sarumi, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N100,000 with one surety each in like sum.
Sarumi added that the sureties must possess landed property within the jurisdiction with current Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) bill, and three years tax clearance certificate. He adjourned till March 18, for hearing.
