BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
The Osun State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a suspected female cultist, Azeezatu Omoboriowo, for allegedly terrorising residents of the state with her gang.
Omoboriowo, mother of one and member of the Aiye confraternity, was said to have participated in series of attacks in parts of Osogbo, the state capital.
The Commissioner of Police in the Command, Olawale Olokode, while parading the suspect in Osogbo recently, said the 23-year-old lady was in custody of the weapons being used by the deadly gang.
The CP said she was arrested around Oke-Abeesu area of Osogbo, on June 12, while attempting to kill one Olugbode Joshua, said to be a rival cult member.
In an interview, the suspect, said that she joined the Aiye Confraternity through her boyfriend. Omoboriowo also said that she was in amorous relationship with two members of Aiye cult group in the state before her arrest.
The suspect said, “I was arrested on June 12 at Oke-Abeesu. I did not kill anyone but the Police arrested me. They accused me of terrorising the residents. My boyfriend, named Ahmed, a.k.a Forilamoni, took me to Lagos but we separated, so, I returned to Osogbo.
“I learnt tailoring at Isale-Osun area of Osogbo. I am a mother of a five-year-old child. I am 23 years old. I was around my family house when I was arrested. I had dated two members of the Aiye boys; they are Ahmed and Pelumi. I joined Aiye through Ahmed. I never joined them for any operation and I don’t have any weapons with me,” she said.
The Police arraigned the suspect before an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court for allegedly hitting one Olugbode Joshua with sticks thereby causing him head injury.
Police Prosecutor, Inspector Fatoba Temitope, said the defendant and others now at large, on June 12, at about 1:30pm at Oke-Baale area of Osogbo, engaged as members of Aiye Confraternity.
The prosecutor told the court that Omoboriowo committed offences contrary to and punishable under Sections 516, 355, and 64 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, volume II, Laws of Osun State, 2002.
However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the three counts bordering on assault, harm and unlawful society. Her counsel, Taiwo Awokunle, prayed the court to grant her bail in a most liberal term, saying that the law presumed her innocent until proven contrary.
The Magistrate, A. A. Adebayo, granted Azeezatu bail in the sum of N100,000 with one surety in the same amount.
He ruled that the surety should be the defendant’s biological parent, resident within the court’s jurisdiction. He stressed that the address of the surety should be verified by the prosecution.
The matter was adjourned till September 8 for mention.
