Court sentences man to 7 years imprisonment over cult membership

An Ogun Special Anti-Cultism Court sitting in Abeokuta, on Friday, sentenced 27-year-old Afeeze Ishola to seven years in the correctional centre for belonging to a secret cult.

The convict, who resides at Otitoloju St., Mile 2, Along Ayetoro Road in Abeokuta, was convicted on a one-count charge of membership of an unlawful society.

The Magistrate, Mr J.A Akan, said that the Prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that the convict was guilty as charged.

Akan also held that the evidence presented by prosecution was tenable and sentenced the convict to seven years without an option of fine.

The Prosecutor, Insp. Olaide Rawlings, had informed the court that the defendant committed the offence on Sept. 2, 2022 at about 4:30 am at Opara 11 Estate Rounder, Abeokuta.

Rawlings said that in the video, the convict was arrested by a security man keeping surveillance over the community.

“Ishola was found roaming about the community, when the security man on duty stopped him and interrogated him,” she said.

She further said that he was trying to escape from the hands of another rival cult, which wanted to kill him, and was later handed over to a policeman living in the community.

According to her, the defendant is a member of the Eiye Confraternity Cult group.

She also said that upon his arrest, the convict made a confessional statement that he belonged to a secret cult.

Rawlings said the offence contravened Section 34 and Punishable under Section 36 of the Prohibition of Forcible Occupation of Landed Properties, Armed Robbery, Kidnapping, Cultism and other Anti-Violence and other Related Offences Laws, 2016.

Court sentences man to 7 years imprisonment over cult membership