Police Arraign Two Over Cultism, Breach Of Peace

Two men, were yesterday brought before a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly belonging to an unlawful society and causing breach of peace in their neighbourhood.
The defendants; Donald Benjamin, 24, and Matthew Nwafor, 23, are facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, breach of peace and belonging to an unlawful society.
The duo, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Police prosecutor, Sgt. Modupe Olaluwoye, told the court that the defendants committed the offences at about 2 a.m., on January 1, at Owode-Ibeshe area of Ikorodu, Lagos.
According to her, the defendants, who were members of a secret society known as “Aiye” celebrated New Year’s Day by scattering the shops in neighbourhood, setting up burn-fires and using matchetes to chase people away from the area.
She said that during the chaos, the defendants and their accomplices still at large were also throwing fireworks at people and on their houses.
“The two defendants had thrown fireworks (Knockout) on a man who then fell into a gutter while trying to run away from it.
“The man was one of the many people that got injured that morning and he alerted the police on the activities of the  cultists in the area,” Olaluwoye said.
According to her, the  offences contravened Sections 41, 168 (d) and 411 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).
Our source reports that section 41 prescribes three years imprisonment for the offence of belonging to an unlawful society, while Section 411 provides two-year for conspiracy.
The Magistrate, Mrs Oluwatoyin Oghre, granted bail in the sum of N 50,000 each to the duo, with one surety each in the like sum.
Oghre said that the sureties must be gainfully employed and show evidence of three years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
She adjourned the case until June 2 for mention.