52-year old landlord faces trial for belonging to secret cult

A 52 year old landlord, Ajisebiiyawo Abiodun and 10 suspected members of student gangs were yesterday arraigned before an Osogbo Magistrate's Court for allegedly belonging to a secret society.

The suspects were arrested at Iree, Boripe Local Government Area of Osun State in the early hours of Saturday.

They are accused of belonging to "AYEE Confraternity."

Those arraigned before the court are: Rasaq Fash (32), Awe Tayo (25), Akinwale Moses (21), Afeez Opeyemi (20), Rasaq Mutiu (22) and Christopher Nmokoro (26).

Others are: Olayinka Sola (22), Salawu Wasiu (20), Oladimeji Olamilekan (19) and Odeniyi Timothy (22).

Police prosecutor, Sulaiman Olokooba, told the court that Mr Abiodun was arraigned along with the suspects because his house was being used for the group's meeting.

Mr Olokooba said the offences committed by the suspects are contrary to and punishable under section 64 (a and b), 80 and 516 of the criminal code cap 34 Vol II laws of Osun state of Nigeria, 2003.

The defence counsel, Adeyemi Adedeji, however urged the court to grant the accused persons bail on the most liberal term, adding that the accused persons are still presumed innocent.

He assured the court that the accused persons will not jump bail, adding that reliable sureties would be provided if bail is granted by the court.

The prosecutor did not oppose the bail application, but urged the court to allow the police verify the addresses of the sureties on the ground that most of the accused persons are not indigenes of the state.

The presiding magistrate, Olusola Aluko granted the accused persons bail with two sureties each in like sum of N200,000 each.

He also ordered that addresses of the sureties should be verified by the police and all the accused and their sureties should submit two clear photographs to the court.

The case was adjourned till September 7th, 2011 for mention.

Kerosene on sale

Meanwhile, there was jubilation in most towns in Osun State yesterday as the state government started selling 330,000 litres of kerosene at the official rate of N50 per litre.

Each person was allowed to buy at least 10 litres to enable the product go round.

Most filling stations were busy selling the product to people under the supervision of members of the Task Force on the Distribution of Petroleum and Allied Products in the state.

Members of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and volunteers of the Osun Youths Empowerment Scheme (OYES) were also deployed to monitor the distribution at each of the locations across the state.

The chairman of the Task Force, Gbenga Odulaja said the gesture was part of the efforts of the state government to alleviate the sufferings of the people over the scarcity of kerosene in the state.

He explained that the state governor, Rauf Aregbesola instructed the committee to ensure that the product is distributed by one filling station in each of the nine federal constituencies in the state.

Towns selected in each of the nine federal constituencies are Osogbo, Ilesa, Iwo, Ede, Iragbiji, Ikire, Ife, Ibokun, Ila-Orangun and Olorunda.

234Next