Three men, Macriff Osazuwa, 25, Agbdino Innocent, 20, and Odigie Kelvin, 20, on Tuesday appeared in Oredo Magistrates’ Court, Benin City, for allegedly being members of unlawful secret cults.
The defendants are being tried for conspiracy, and members of unlawful society.
The Police Prosecution, Insp David Akhigbe, told the court that the defendants conspired among themselves to commit the offence on March 5, at New Benin Market Area, in Benin.
According to the prosecution, the three accused persons made confessional statement that they are members of unlawful society.
The prosecutor said Osazuwa confessed that, he is a member of Marphite secret cult, Innocent a member of Eiye Secret cult and Kelvin a member of Terrance Secret cult.
The prosecutor said the offences contravened the provisions of sections 516(1), and 64(a) of the Criminal Code Cap. 48 Vol. 11, Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria, 1976, now applicable in Edo. And it prescribes three years imprisonment if found guilty.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Earlier, Mr Joseph Odi had made an oral bail application assuring the court that, the defendants would not jump bail and that they will be available when they are needed in court.
Magistrate, Victoria Oyekpen, however, said the court is considering the bail application because of the integrity of the counsel to the defendants.
“Counsel I am counting on your integrity, otherwise they look rugged” Oyekpen said.
The magistrate admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N100,000 with one surety in like sum each, stating that the surety must be a blood relation. She then adjourned the case until April 7, for hearing.
