A
notorious cultist and ex-convict, Ibrahim Oriyomi Balogun (AKA Small Jpron),
whom the police have accused of carrying out multiple murders around Somolu and
Bariga areas of Lagos, has been –re-arraigned on charges of murder barely a
year after he was arrested, charged to court and released.
Thirty-six-year-old
Balogun has been arrested at least three times in the past – in November 2012,
August 2016 and March 2017 – on allegations of murder and cult-related
activities.
He
was arraigned in 2016 for murder, possession of firearms and for belonging to a
cult.
Shortly
after his arrest in 2016, he surfaced in public again and the police said he
escaped custody.
When
he was earlier paraded before journalists in 2016, he confessed to being
involved in the killing of three persons.
He
had said, “I am an Eiye cult leader. I joined the cult in 2009. The reason for
my joining was to avenge the death of a close friend, Sunday Folorunsho, aka
Small Biscuit.
“It
was the Aiye cult members who killed him. So, the Eiye faction approached me
and said I should join them. They said they would help me to fish out the
people who killed my friend. I have killed three persons, among are Femi Wiper
and Lekan Akon.”
When
he was paraded before journalists in March 2017, the Commissioner of Police at
the time, Fatai Owoseni, said Balogun escaped through the
connivance of two police operatives, who were being investigated.
This
time, the suspect was arraigned before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate’s Court,
Lagos for belonging to a secret cult.
He,
however, pleaded not guilty to the charge of belonging to an unlawful society.
The
Prosecutor, Mr. Chinalu Uwadione, told the court that Balogun belonged to an
unlawful society known as “Eiye confraternity.”
The
offence contravened Section 42(1), (a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State,
2015.
The
Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Oluyemisi Adelaja, granted the accused a bail of
N300,000 with two sureties in like sum.
The
case was adjourned till October 16 for further hearing.
- Punch
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