2 poly students, one other docked over alleged cult activities

An Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday remanded two polytechnic students, Efeotor Oghenemarhe, 22, and Felix Olukanmi, 23, at the Federal Prisons Ado-Ekiti for allegedly belonging to cult groups.

Also remanded is a 27-year-old cell-phone dealer, Adebusuyi Kolawole.

Chief Magistrate Idowu Ayenimo, who earlier ruled that a written bail application with affidavit be filed, ordered that the accused persons be remanded in prison custody.

The Police Prosecutor, Sgt. Olasunkanmi Bankole, told the court that the accused persons were on Oct. 23 arrested for being members of Klansman Secret Cult.

Bankole alleged that police arrested the accused persons for being in possession of axes, cutlasses and secret cult insignia at Odo-Ado.

The prosecutor explained that while Oghenemarhe and Olukanmi were students of the Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, Kolawole was a cell-phone seller at a popular GSM market in Ado-Ekiti.

He said the offences contravened Sections 4(1) and 10(a) of the Secret Cult (Abolition and Prohibition) Law Cap 52, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

Bankole opposed bail application for the accused, arguing that their release on bail might jeopardise police efforts to track the armoury of the cult.

He, therefore, prayed the court for an adjournment to enable him prepare his case.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge.

The magistrate adjourned the case to Nov.5 for hearing.

In a related development, the Police on Tuesday arraigned three other students of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti on a two-count charge of belonging to the Black-Axe Secret Cult and for breach of the peace.

The accused are Temitope Ilesanmi, 23, Adedotun Adebayo, 20, and Ayotomide Oyelami, 25.

The prosecutor alleged that the accused persons committed the offences on Oct. 24 along Polytechnic Road, Ado-Ekiti.

He said the offences contravened Sections 10(a), 4(1) and 249(d) of the Secret Cult (Abolition and Prohibition) Law Cap 52, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

Chief Magistrate Ayenimo ordered that the first accused person to be remanded in Federal Prisons, Ado-Ekiti but granted Adebayo and Ayotomide Oyelami bail each in the sum of N50,000 each and one surety in like sum.

The magistrate adjourned the case till Nov.5 for hearing.