Our Reporter

A Yaba Magistrates’ Court in Lagos at the weekend sentenced a 37-year-old mechanic, Afeez Tijani, to three months’ imprisonment for belonging to an unlawful society called ‘Aiye’.

Tijani was arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy and belonging to an unlawful society.

He pleaded guilty to the charge and begged the court to temper justice with mercy on him, stating that he was aware of his wrong doings.

Magistrate Mrs. S. O. Obasa handed down the sentence following the guilty plea by the convict, but she did not give him any option of fine.

She said: “I have considered the facts of this case, and that the defendant did not waste the time of this court by not lying.

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“I have also taken into consideration that the defendant is a first-time offender coupled with his allocutus; a plea for leniency.

“I hereby sentence him to three months’ imprisonment.”

Prosecuting Sergeant Godwin Oriabure had told the court that Tijani committed the offences last December 9 at 12:45am, in Jibowu, Lagos.

He said that Tijani was a member of an unlawful society popularly called ‘Aiye’ and was arrested after fighting with other members of the cult during their meeting.

Oriabure said Tijani had tried to evade arrest, but was caught hiding in the bathroom of a resident at Jibowu during the raid.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened sections 411 and 42 (a) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.