2Ekiti students jails for cultism

Ekiti State University (EKSU)

Two students of Ekiti State University (EKSU), Akintunde Olumide and Oladapo Olaoluwa are to spend the next three years in jail after being found guilty of involvement in cultism.

The three-year imprisonment verdict was slammed on them by Justice Monisola Abodunde of an Ado Ekiti High Court who held that the prosecution has proved a case of stealing, assault and membership of a secret cult group against the accused beyond every reasonable doubt.

Police prosecutor, Femi Falade, told the court that the accused committed the offence on July 13, 2013 at a hotel in Iworoko -Ekiti.

He said that the accused were brought on a three -count-charge of stealing, assault and secret cult.

Falade said the offence was punishable under Section 355,4(1) of Criminal  Code Laws of Ekiti State 2012 and Secret Cults (Abolition and Prohibition).

The prosecutor called four witnesses to prove his case, while the defendant counsel, Emmanuel Oluwole, also called three witnesses to prove his case.

Justice Abodunde said that the accused made a confessional statement as a member of Black Axe Confraternity at the Criminal Investigation Department during interrogation.

She added that the Police found in their custody, small cutlass, black head warmer, black T-shirt, black trousers during investigation.

The judge held that the short cutlass cannot be measurable with the one used for agriculture or weeding grass.

“It is not a tool for education, it is a weapon of danger and indiscriminating, which should not be seen within the school premises,” she added.

Justice Abodunde said the exhibit recovered from the accused made the case weighty and voluminous.

She therefore found the accused guilty as charged and convicted them accordingly.

The judge resolved two of the issues in favour of the accused and used the last count to sentence them to three years imprisonment without any option of fine.

She added that this would serve as deterrent to other students in higher institutions, to always face their studies and shun secret cult activities.