…As Court Refers Case To DPP
The Rivers State Police Command has arraigned six suspects in court for cultism.
The suspects were arraigned on Monday before a Port-Harcourt Magistrate Court presided over by Senior Magistrate Lenu Baridam.
The six accused persons are between the ages,18 and 28.
The suspects with Suit Number PMC/764C/2019 are alleged to be members of Iceland cult group and were said to have carried out an attack on residents of Fimie in Ozogboko Community in Port-Harcourt City Local Government Area of Rivers State and were arrested by the police in the process.
A two-count charge was read to them when they were brought to court on Monday but no plea was taken.
The two-count charge read to the accused persons said: “That you Caleb Amadi ‘m’, Christian Chukwuma ‘m’, Ubok Obong Sunday ‘m’, Chukwima Mba ‘m’, Sunday Udom ‘m’, Ofoke Christopher ‘m’ and others now at large on 14th day of April, 2019, at about 22:30hrs at Fimie in Ozogboko Community, Rivers State, in the Port-Harcourt Magisterial District, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: Cultism and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 516 of the Rivers State Secret Cult And Similar Activities (Prohibition) Laws Act, No. 6 of 2018, as amended.”
The other count of the charge said: “That you Kingsley Frank Friday ‘m’, Caleb Amadi ‘m’, Christian Chukwuma ‘m’, Ubok Ubong Sunday ‘m’, Chukwima Mba ‘m’, Sunday Udom ‘m’, Ofoke Christopher ‘m’ and others now at large on same date in the aforesaid Magisterial District, being members of Iceland secret cult did exhibit your cult activities by attacking residents of Fimie in Ozogboko Community of Rivers State, during which you were arrested by the police and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(1) of the Rivers State Secret Cult And Similar Activities (Prohibition) Law No. 6 of 2018 as amended”.
The presiding judge who granted bail to the accused persons after interviewing them referred the case to the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice.
She also adjourned the case to 28th of May, 2019 as the court awaits DPP’s advice.
