20-year-old sentenced to 29 years in prison for cultism, unlawful possession of firearm
A Bayelsa High Court sitting in Yenagoa has sentenced a 20-year-old cultist, Owei Mathew, to 29 years in prison over attempted robbery, cause of grievous harm and unlawful possession of firearm.
The accused, who hails from Amasomma in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state, was arrested in September 2021.
Matthew was reported to have jumped into the home of one Festus Ezegwe at the back of Obele by Melford Okilo road and stole a Samsung Android Phone and the sum of N55,000.
The owner of the house, Festus Ezegwe, and his wife, struggled with the accused while he was trying to escape and called for his arrest by men of the Police Anti-kidnapping Squad led by CSP Nsimo Benson.
The accused was arrested in possession of a firearm.
He was charged to court and remanded in prison custody while the prosecution lasted and judgement given in 2023 when he is now 20 years old. The 29 years prison sentence is to run concurrently.
It was gathered that after a diligent investigation and prosecution by the legal team of the State Police Command, Mathew was arraigned before Justice Abasi on a four count charge of attempted robbery, grievous harm, cultism and unlawful possession of firearm.
