New Telegraph

Court remands two for destroying 22 acres of farmland

Chief Magistrate A. O. Sodeinde of an Ogun State Chief Magistrate’s Court in Ifo has ordered the remand of two men, Tomiwa Aro and Ismaila Ahmed, in prison for allegedly destroying 22 acres of farmland containing Teak trees and cassava crops valued at N40 million.

 

The remand order was sequel to the arraignment of Aro and Ahmed by the police on charges bordering on conspiracy, attempted murder, forcible entry, assault and conducts likely to cause breach of public peace.

 

The defendants however denied the alleged offences upon their arraignment, following which the police prosecutor, Morufu Animashaun, sought for a trial date while demanding their remand in a Correctional Centre. Responding, defence lawyer, Monzor Owoyemi, orally applied to court for his clients’ bail.

 

In acceding to the request, Chief Magistrate Sodeinde admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N2 million with two responsible sureties in like sum. The court ordered that the sureties must show evidence of a viable means of livelihood and three years tax payment to Ogun State Government.

 

The Chief Magistrate while adjourning the matter to June 17, 2022, for commencement of trial also ordered that the defendants be remanded in the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) pending perfection of the bail terms.

 

In the charge, the defendants alongside others now at large, were said to have conspired among themselves with the support of thugs they hired and forcibly entered a farm land measuring 22 acres, belonging to one, Martin Iluyomade,  and destroyed Teak trees and cassava crops both valued N40 million.

 

The defendants were also alleged to have during the unlawful invasion of Iluyomade’s farmland, while armed with locally made guns, sticks and other dangerous weapons, hit the trio of Ganiyu Ajasa, Ibrahim Opeyemi and Yaya Ishau, on the head and other parts of their bodies, causing them bodily harm and injuries.

 

The offences allegedly committed at Mowo Village, in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State, on February 22, 2022, were said to have contravened Sections 516, 29, 355, 451; 81 and 249(d) of the Criminal Code Law of Ogun State and Revised Criminal Laws of Ogun State, 2006, and punishable under the same laws.

Read Previous

Cocaine smuggling: Trial of Thai nationals, Nigerians resumes June 23

Read Next

Somuyiwa: Nigeria’s logistics potential remains untapped

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *