Court remands three cultists over possession of weapons, burglary

The Police in Osun State on Friday dragged three suspected cultists before an Ile-Ife Magistrate’s Court over possession of dangerous weapons and breaking into residents’ houses.
The suspects arraigned before Magistrate Olalekan Ijiyode included 24-year-old Abayomi Omidiran, Opeyemi Arowolo, 18 and Elijah Ademola, 21.
Police Prosecutor, Inspector Emmanuel Abdullahi, informed the court that the three accused persons committed the offence on September 28, 2016 around 12:30 am at Oke-Atan Area, Ile-Ife.
Abdullahi said that the accused persons conspired to commit felony, housebreaking, stealing and assembling and parading themselves as members of a secret cult.
He added that the accused persons armed themselves with axe and other dangerous weapons within the society.
When the Police attempted to arrest them, the prosecutor told the court that the suspected cultists resisted and conducted themselves in a manner that caused the breach of peace and panic in that area.
The Police then argued that the accused persons committed offences contrary to and punishable under Section 70, 197, 249 and 516 of the Criminal Code Cap 34, Laws of Osun, 2003.
Magistrate Ijiyode refused to take the plea of the accused persons.
The judge asked the defence counsel, Mrs Sidikat Salawu, to approach the court with a formal bail application.
However, Ijiyode ordered that Omidiran, Arowolo and Ademola be remanded in Ile-Ife prison till October 25, 2016, when the matter would come up for hearing.