An Ogun Special Anti-Cultism Court sitting in Abeokuta on Thursday sentenced a 35- year-old man, Timileyin Afolayan to 10 years in prison for belonging to a secret cult group.
The convict, who resides at 26, Bajomo Ijaye Ojokoro, Lagos state, was convicted on a two-count charge of membership of an unlawful society and possession of a local made pistol without license.
The Magistrate, Mr O.L Oke, said that the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt that the convict was guilty as charged.
Oke also held that the evidence presented by the prosecution was tenable and therefore sentenced the convict to seven years in prison for the first count.
He also convicted Afolayan to 10 years for the second count of being possession of local made pistol.
He however did not give the convict an option of fine, adding that the sentence should run concurrently.
Earlier, the police prosecutor, Insp. Olaide Rawlings, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on Oct. 19, 2023, at Ibara Housing Estate in Abeokuta.
Rawlings said that police officers arrested the convict while on stop and search duty at the housing estate.
According to him, one of the police officers stopped the defendant who was on a motorcycle with a black cross bag and searched him, and a locally made pistol was found in his bag without license or permit.
“Upon his arrest, the defendant made a confessional statement that he belonged to the Buccaneer secret cult group, popularly known as Alora confraternity” she said.
Rawlings said that the offences contravened Sections 34, and 36 of the secret cults prohibition and special provisions laws of Ogun 2016, as well as section, 27(a) of the firearms Act Cap F.28 laws of the federation of Nigeria 2014.
NAN
