Osun: 6 students docked over alleged cutlass, gun attack on teachers

Osun State Police Command, has arraigned six students of St. Marks Anglican High School and Adenle Middle School in Osogbo before an Osogbo Magistrates’ Court for allegedly attacking their teachers with cutlasses and clubs. The students, suspected to be cultists, had on Friday, 4 December, 2015, invaded the schools premises where they allegedly chased their teachers with guns and cutlasses. But when they were arraigned before Magistrate (Mrs) Adejumoke Olowolagba, the pupils were accused of causing breach of the peace by disturbing school activities on 7 December, 2015 at St. Marks Anglican High School, Osogbo. The accused persons, aged 18 years, are Adewunmi Olusegun, Ajibola Toheeb, Ganiyu Sodiq, Adegbite Femi, Atoyebi Nurudeen and Adepoju Yusuf. The charge sheet obtained by Saturday Tribune reads in part, “That you (accused persons) and others now at large, on the 7th day of December 2015 at St. Marks Anglican High School, Osogbo, in the Osogbo Magisterial District did conspire together to commit misdemeanour, to wit, conduct likely to cause breach of the peace by disturbing the school activities.” The police prosecutor, Mr Taiwo Adegoke, contended that the pupils had committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 517(d) and 249(d) of the Criminal Code Cap 34, Vol. II, Law of Osun State of Nigeria, 2003. But the six accused persons pleaded not guilty to the two counts pressed against them. However, the accused persons who were represented by an amicus curiae pleaded with the court to grant them bail in a liberal term, stressing that they were presumed innocent of the alleged offence until the prosecution proved otherwise. Magistrate Olowolagba granted the six accused persons bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties each in like amount. She ordered that one of the sureties must provide tax clearance certificate. The case was adjourned till February 15, 2016 for mention.