Two Ekiti varsity students jailed for cultism

An Ekiti State High Court on Wednesday sentenced two students of Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Akintunde Olumide and Oladapo Olaoluwa, to a three-year jail term for their involvement in secret cult- related activities.

Justice Mosun Abodunde convicted the accused persons after finding them guilty of a three-count of stealing, assault and cultism.

In her judgment, she said that the prosecution proved the case beyond reasonable doubt.

She noted that the accused made confessional statements as members of Black Axe at the Criminal Investigation Department during interrogation.

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

The judge held that the short cutlass could not be compared with the one used for agriculture or weeding grass.

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

Justice Abodunde said the exhibits recovered from the convicts made their culpability in the crime weighty.

In proving the case, the police called four witnesses while the defence counsel, Mr. Emmanuel Oluwole, also called three witnesses to prove his case.

The prosecutor, Mr. Femi Falade, told the court that the accused committed the offence on July 13, 2013, at an hotel in Iworoko Ekiti. He said the offences were punishable under Section 355,4(1) of Criminal Code Laws of Ekiti State 2012 and Secret cults (Abolition and Prohibition).