20-year-old jailed 29 years for cultism, robbery

Owei Mathew, 20, was sentenced to 29 years in prison by a Bayelsa State High Court for cultism, robbery, and unlawful possession of a firearm.

The convict, a native of Amasomma in the state’s Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, was apprehended by security operatives in September 2021.

According to reports, Matthew broke into the home of one Festus Ezegwe in the back of Obele near Melford Okilo Road and stole a Samsung Android phone and N55,000.

Festus Ezegwe and his wife were said to have struggled with the accused while he was attempting to flee and were apprehended by men from the Police Anti-Kidnapping Squad led by CSP Nsimo Benson.

He was charged in court, remanded in prison custody while the prosecution was ongoing, and the verdict was delivered in 2023, when he was 20 years old. The 29-year prison sentence will be served concurrently.

Following an investigation, police charged Mathew with four counts of attempted robbery, grievous harm, cultism, and unlawful possession of a firearm before Justice Abasi.