After nearly eight years of legal proceedings, the Kwara State High Court has convicted a cult leader, BolaKale Bayero, alongside five others.
They were sentenced to 10 years imprisonment each for offences linked to cultism and related criminal activities.
The judgment, delivered by Justice Adenike Akinpelu after more than two hours of proceedings, brought to a close one of the state’s prolonged criminal trials involving alleged members of the Eiye Secret Cult confraternity.
Those convicted alongside Bayero were identified as Ibrahim Olatunde Elijah, Habeeb Azeez, Sikiru Jimoh, Yinka Alabi and Akeyde Ahmed.
The six defendants had faced an 11-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, membership of unlawful secret societies, disturbance of public peace, mischief and attempted culpable homicide.
The charges were filed under provisions of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, the Penal Code, as well as the Kwara State Secret Cults and Secret Societies Prohibition Law, 2016.
At the commencement of the trial, the defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges, forcing the matter into full trial proceedings that stretched over several years.
During the hearing, the prosecution team led by Zakari Issa, Chief State Counsel, called six witnesses and tendered 14 exhibits.
In her verdict, Justice Akinpelu held that the prosecution successfully proved the offences of cultism, Mischief and Disturbance of Public Peace against the convicts but failed to establish some other allegations, including attempted culpable homicide.
The court subsequently discharged the defendants of the charges that were not sufficiently proven.
“The fact that there is no record of any previous case against them, it is however hoped that the period they’ve spent in detention is enough of a lesson for them,” the judge said.
Justice Akinpelu further directed that the years already spent in custody by the convicts should be deducted from their jail term.
