Police arraign 17 over attempt to burn ‘ritualists den’

Seventeen suspects arrested on Monday in Ijaiye area of Abeokuta for attempting to burn down a house suspected to be a ritualists den were yesterday arraigned before an Abeokuta Magistrate’s Court.

The house has been confirmed to be owned by a Deputy Superintendent of Police. It took the intervention of the police, Civil Defence Corps and vigilante group to prevent the youths from burning down the house.

In the case with suit number MA/27/3c/2014, the suspects were arraigned on a three count charge of malicious damage, conspiracy and conduct likely to cause breach of peace in the state.

The suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges and were subsequently granted bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety each in like sum. The case has been adjourned till 25th June, 2014.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said: “The command is not comfortable with these cases of attacks on persons of unsound minds and those with exotic cars who are always wrongly accused of child stealing or ritual killings.”

He therefore called on members of the public to desist from jungle justice and report any suspicious person or group to the police.