Lagos court arraigns fashion designer for cultism
A 27-year-old fashion designer is facing charges in court after being allegedly caught in possession of firearm.
Olamide Oyelami was arrested by the police late last month. He was caught in possession of a locally-made pistol loaded with one live cartridge and was accused of being a member of a cult group.
Oyelami, from Oyo, said the firearm was kept in his care by a friend when they went for a birthday party.
“I live with a childhood friend, Olaitan Olatunji. Olatunji and I went to a birthday party. When it was around 9pm, we left the party. On getting to De-Chandi Hotel near the general hospital on Ota Road, the police patrol team attached to the Elere division accosted me and when they searched me, they recovered one locally-made pistol loaded with one live cartridge,” he told the police.
“The pistol that was found in my possession was given to me by one Leke Obatolu, who resides in the Oniwaya area of Agege. Obatolu gave me the gun at the birthday party. He asked me to keep it for him. Olatunji, Obatolu and I are members of Alora. I joined Alora early last year and Obatolu was the one that initiated me into the cult.”
The police prosecutor, Abiola Adewale, told the court that Oyelami and his accomplices who are now at large conspired among themselves “to commit felony around 11.30pm on July 22 at Ota Road, Ile-Epo, Agege, Lagos.”
Adewale also accused Oyelami and his gang of belonging to a confraternity, popularly known as Alora, knowing that the society is unlawful.
“That you, Olamide Oyelami, and others now at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district, did unlawfully have in your possession one locally-made single-barrelled pistol with one live cartridge without a licence issued to you by the Inspector-General of Police or any other appropriate authority,” the police prosecutor said.
Oyelami pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The presiding magistrate admitted him to bail in the sum of N200,000, with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till September 27.
