Suspected cultist docked over alleged possession of 2 locally – made pistols, cartridges

A 28-year-old-man, Opeyemi Adegboyega, was on Monday brought before a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State, for allegedly being in  possession of two-locally-made pistols, six cartridges and a bronze live ammunition.

The defendant is facing a charge of unlawful possession of arms.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

A legal officer from the  Yaba District Prosecutors’ Office, Mrs Ibijoke Akinpelu, told the court that the defendant committed the offence at No. 58, Maria Okor Bucknor, in Ejigbo area of Lagos State.

She told the court that the defendant was known in the area to be a member of a popular confraternity known as “Aiye”.

According to her, the defendant was stopped for questioning by some  police officers patrolling the area as a result of his suspicious  movements on  that day.

She said that the defendant was searched and two cut-to- size-single barrel locally-made pistols, six live cartridges and one bronze live ammunition were discovered in his possession.

Akinpelu said that the defendant could not give a satisfactory account of what the ammunition was doing in his possession.

He  was arrested on the spot and the weapons and the ammunition were seized from him  as evidence.

She said  that the offence contravened Sections 330 (d) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 330 (d) stipulates a seven-year imprisonment for unlawful possession of arms.

The chief magistrate, Mrs Adeola Adedayo, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N300,000 with two sureties in like sum.

She directed that both sureties must be residing within the court’s jurisdiction, be verified and be gainfully employed with evidence of three years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

Adedayo adjourned the case until April 6 for mention.