18th July, 2013
Two former members of St. Peters Cherubim and Seraphim Church located at Alapere area of Ketu, Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, have been arrested and arraigned in court for allegedly dumping a human skull in the church.
The operatives of the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Team, Force Headquarters, Annex, Lagos, arrested Samson Joju Adeneye, 49, and a woman, Oyerinde Olawunmi, 38, following a written complaint against the accused by Apostle Albert Samson in charge of the church.
In the petition, Apostle Samson alleged that the two suspects on 19 January broke into the church and dumped a human skull inside the premises with an intention to dent his image and the reputation of the church.
He said prior to the incident, the accused, who were former members of his church, sent messages to him, threatening to destroy the church and chase him out of Lagos State for no just cause.
After investigation by the police, the suspects were arrested for allegedly being in possession of human skull inside the church and arraigned them before a Surulere Chief Magistrates’Court, Lagos on a four-count charge of felony to wit, unlawful possession of human skull inside a church
The plea of the suspects was not taken in the court because the prosecutor presented an application for their remand in prison custody pending the advice from the office of Directorate of Public Prosecution on the matter.
The defence counsel opposed the remand application brought by the police, saying the charges preferred against their clients are bailable.
After hearing from both parties, the presiding Chief Magistrate, Mrs. A. O. Adedayo rejected the oral bail application for the accused persons.
She directed the defence counsel to put up a written bail application for their clients and adjourned the matter till 30 July when the bail application of the accused may be granted on merit.
She ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody till the adjourned date.
—Paul Iyoghojie